Archive: March 2007

Should you be eating organic?

by Lisa Marie Metzler

Just when you were getting used to reading labels for fat, sugar and fiber content a new food trend comes along to add to the mix. Organic foods are popping up everywhere in grocery stores nationwide. What does organic actually mean? Will eating organic make you healthier? Read on and decide for yourself.

Organic meats, eggs and dairy

According to the USDA national standards, organic meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products must come from animals that are not given antibiotics or growth hormones. Animals are given vaccinations against disease but illnesses are controlled by taking preventive measures such as rotational grazing, balanced diet and sanitary housing. In addition they aren’t allowed to eat genetically altered corn or genetically altered soybean meal. All feed must be organic. They must have access to pastures to graze on land that hasn’t been treated with herbicides or other chemicals. Chickens and pigs must have access to the outdoors as well.

Organic fuits and veggies

The USDA criteria for organic fruits and veggies states they must be grown without irradiation, sewage sludge, artificial preservatives or pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers.

Though we don’t know the long term effects of consuming any amount of pesticides, some studies have shown pesticides like chlorpyrifos (used for killing bugs on crops) can affect pregnant women and young children. Older children and adults can safely detoxify chlorpyrifos using an enzyme our body has called PON-1. Younger children are still developing and thus have lower levels of this enzyme. Pregnant women can pass these pesticides through the placenta. More studies by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences indicate a connection between pesticide exposure in utero and abnormal behavioral problems like attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity. It’s good practice for pregnant women and children under 2 to avoid eating fruits and veggies with high levels of pesticide. (See next month’s Healthy & Fit for the list of worthy organic foods)

More of the good stuff

By now we all know about the 5 a Day program. We’re supposed to be taking in at least 5 fruits and veggies every day. Eating organic may give us even more vitamins and minerals per food. In 2001, nutritionist Virginia Worthington, Ph.D., compared conventionally grown and organically grown fruits and veggies and found organic fruits and veggies had more magnesium, vitamin C, iron and phosphorus. According to Worthington, conventionally grown crops soak up more nitrates from synthetic fertilizers thus zapping the vitamins and other valuable compounds. So, if you eat organic fruits and veggies you’re getting more vitamins per bite. Of course that doesn’t mean you only need to eat 4 a day and eat a candy bar instead!

In addition, a recent report by Charles Benbrook, Ph. D., chief scientist of the Organic Center states that organic crops are also higher in cancer fighting antioxidants. According to Benbrook organic crops can develop stronger natural compounds because it doesn’t contain pesticides and chemicals to fight stress and disease. This natural defense triggers the synthesis of antioxidants. In fact, Benbrook found that organic crops have up to 30 percent more antioxidants than conventionally grown crops.

Can you afford organic?

Currently organic foods cost 20 to 50 percent more than conventionally grown foods. The good news is the demand for organic foods are increasing, therefore stimulating more competition between bigger retailers. Wal-Mart, for example stated it intends to price organic foods just 10 percent higher than the conventional products.

But do you really need to buy everything organic? Not all foods are heavy in pesticides, antibiotics and other chemicals. Next month in Healthy & Fit I’ll reveal the organic foods worth the extra cash and also show how you can buy the healthiest fruits and veggies while supporting your community.