To Go Organic or Not

pHion Balance  |  0 Comment

In the 15 years between 1996 and 2011, the US market for organic foods grew from $3.5 billion to nearly $30 billion annually. Organic foods have gone from being farmers’ market fare to being big business. However, many shoppers opt for organic items with only a vague notion of the difference between “organic” and “non-organic.”

To be certified as organic, plant foods must come from farms that have not been exposed to synthetic insecticides, herbicides or fertilizers for at least three years before harvest, and there must be a sufficient buffer zone between an organic farm and adjacent lands to decrease contamination. Genetic engineering, ionizing radiation and sewage sludge are prohibited during the cultivation, growth or processing of organic crops.

Organic livestock must be reared without the routine use of antibiotics or growth-inducing hormones, and livestock feed must be free of these contaminants. While vaccinations and vitamin and mineral supplements can be used in raising organic livestock, any animal treated with antibiotics cannot be sold as organic. Animals on organic farms must be provided with access to the outdoors.

In the United States, organic farming is overseen by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). A subsidiary of the USDA – the National Organic Program (NOP) – establishes labeling and production standards that govern the American organic food industry. (It’s worth mentioning that the NOP’s standards are subject to modification following input from the National Organic Standards Board, which seats individuals from large organizations like General Mills and ConAgra.)

When compared to conventionally produced foodstuffs, organic diets expose consumers to fewer of the pesticides that are known to be harmful to humans. Furthermore, organic farming has fewer environmental impacts than conventional farming methods. However, current scientific data does not demonstrate any consistent nutritional differences between organic and non-organic foods, nor is there any convincing evidence that “going organic” prevents disease or confers specific health benefits.

Without question, the operative phrase in this discussion is “current scientific data.” Meaningful epidemiologic studies – those that allow scientists to draw valid conclusions about long-term health issues – require observing hundreds or thousands of people for years or even decades. To date, the connection between organic diets and long-term human health outcomes simply hasn’t been adequately explored. While it seems intuitive that people will be healthier if they’re exposed to fewer harmful chemicals, scientists (a compulsive, persnickety bunch) demand empirical proof. So – as far as your health is concerned – it will probably be years before there’s any “evidence-based” support for consuming an organic diet.

In the meantime, if you choose organic you’ll have to be content with knowing that you and your children aren’t a walking chemistry lesson, and you can always take solace from the notion that you’re imposing less pressure on our increasingly strained planet. 

Here's to your wellness,

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