Organic, is it worth it?

 

We’ve all been there, the produce isle of a grocery store, with something organic in our hand, and we can’t help but peek over to the same non-organic item, and sigh about the price difference, thinking to ourselves “how can people afford this?”, and “is it really worth it?”

In short. The answer is YES and NO.

First - You can’t talk about Organic without discussing the importance of Buying local. 

Buying local supports local farmers, results in seasonal and fresher items, picked at optimal ripeness, containing utmost amounts of nutrients, while conventionally grown produce is grown to withstand transportation. Conventionally grown produce are picked before it has ripened, and once it’s close to the destination, it’s gassed with ethylene, which is a small flammable gas, used for artificially ripening. Thus, it did not grow or ripen to the term required to develop the proper level of nutrients.


Common concerns regarding conventionally grown/genetically modified foods include toxicity, allergic reaction, and it is believed that consumption of these genetically modified foods can increase the development of diseases which are immune to antibiotics (1). GMO foods are generally also mono cropped, meaning that season after season, the exact same nutrients are being extracted from soil, resulting in soil depletion, thus producing nutrient depleted items.

According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, pesticides have as yet incompletely understood effects on humans. Most people are exposed to a certain level of pesticides. Farmers who experience routine exposure to pesticides have exhibited neurological symptoms such as headache and hand tremors. Children, in particular, may be more susceptible to negative effects resulting from pesticide exposure. Pesticide runoff can have devastating effects on nontarget organisms as well. For example, roundup, an extremely common herbicide used in agriculture, is highly toxic to fish and amphibians. The National Coalition for Pesticide-Free Lawns says, "Of 30 commonly used lawn pesticides, 19 are linked with cancer or carcinogencity, 13 are linked with birth defects, 21 with reproductive effects, 26 with liver or kidney damage, 15 with neurotoxicity, and 11 with disruption of the endocrine system."(4)

ROUNDUP (herbicide/weedkiller) – is sprayed on crops that have been genetically modified to not be affected by this herbicide. Once consumed, can destroy gut bacteria associated with the body’s conversion and use of tryptophan and serotonin linking it to higher levels of depression and as well as are the bodies pathways to melatonin – thus effecting sleep patterns and quality. Hormone balacne can also be affected, as it can act as an endocrine disruptor, negatively effecting estrogen levels. (2)

PESTICIDES/INSECTICIDES/FERTILIZERS – (reminder: Organic still contains pesticides, they are just “organic” pesticides)
Common in conventionally grown produce and the residues can remain even after it is washed and pealed. Negative effects of inorganic fertilizers: increased use of nitrogen fertilizer which can decrease ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in fruits and vegetables, as well as xenoestrogens effecting hormone balance, polluting the earth, and effecting wild life. Lets also not forget that pesticides are used to produce cancer in lab rats.( 3)


EWG conducted a study analyzing samples from FDA records found that some non organic food contained traces of banned pesticides. Foods such as Strawberries, peppers, spinach, celery, apples, green peas where among those listed.


A snip from ewg.com states:

A recent study in JAMA Internal Medicine, a journal of the American Medical Association, found a surprising association between consuming high-pesticide-residue foods and fertility problems among participants in the Harvard University EARTH study.1

Women who reported eating two or more servings per day of produce with higher pesticide residues were 26 percent less likely to have a successful pregnancy during the study than participants who ate fewer servings of these foods. A previous study of male participants found similar associations between consumption of high-residue produce and reproductive health. Both studies drew from couples seeking treatment at a fertility clinic, and found that the frequency of eating fruits and vegetables with fewer pesticide residues was not associated with fertility outcomes.

The findings from the EARTH studies raise important questions about the safety of pesticide mixtures found on produce, and suggest that people should focus on eating the fruits and vegetables with the fewest pesticide residues.

The studies’ definition of higher and lower pesticide foods mirrors EWG’s Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen lists. So, when buying organic produce is not an option, use the Shopper's Guide to choose conventional foods lower in pesticide residues. With the Guide, you can have the health benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables while limiting your exposure to pesticides.

The good news:


There is a wonderful resource called ‘Dirty Dozen, Clean 15’, provided by Environmental Working Group, which tests and provides information annually on the top 12 foods you should ONLY buy organic and the top 15 foods you can get away with buying non-organic, based on what is most and least likely to contain pesticide residue.

So, the good news is: You don’t have to buy ONLY organic to receive the health benefits. This puts some money back in your pocket and you can begin to invest in the organic foods that will have the biggest impact on your health, rather than your budget.

Dirty Dozen


1. Strawberries, 2. Spinach, 3. Nectarines, 4. Apples, 5. Grapes, 6. Peaches,
7. Cherries 8. Pears, 9. Tomatoes, 10. Celery, 11. Potatoes, 12. Sweet bell peppers

DIRTY DOZEN.png

Clean 15

1. Avocado, 2. Corn, 3. Pineapples, 4. Cabbage, 5. Asparagus, 6. Onions, 7. Sweet Peas, 8. Honeydew,
9. Eggplant, 10. Kiwis, 11. Mangos, 12. Papaya, 13. Cantaloupe, 14.Cauliflower, 15. Broccoli
*A small amount of sweet corn, papaya and summer squash sold in the United States is produced from genetically modified seeds. Buy organic varieties of these crops if you want to avoid genetically modified produce

CLEAN 15.png

CLICK HERE

for a printable list of the Dirty Dozen Clean 15
to take with you on your next grocery shop and invest in the foods
that will have the biggest impact on your health!

Biggest Take Aways:

Buying local allows you to Know your farmer. 

It is both expensive and difficult for a farm to receive organic accreditation. Smaller farms may be following organic practices, however may not be able to be recognized because they are within a certain distance of a farm who is not organic. They also simply may not be able to afford it. Knowing your farmer allows you to become more aware of exactly what you are buying, and how it was grown. Farmers practicing mixed farming methods, or organic farming methods (accredited or not) are proud of what they are doing and the quality of what they are growing. Products may also not be as expensive because it doesn’t come with the price tag associated with the organic accreditation.


Budget Friendly - Stick to the dirty dozen clean fifteen list


Make sure to wash your vegetables well

Even organic produce can contain (organic) pesticides. a good way to wash your produce (not leafy greens) is adding a cup of white vinegar to a clean sink full of cold water and letting your produce soak for 30 minutes to an hour, and rinsing well. Leafy greens should be washed right before eating, by rinsing well.

 
Wellness, healthy livingSteffany Botcharorganic, gmo, dirty dozen, clean 15, roundup, pesticides, insectidices2 Comments