Organic foods have taken the world by storm in recent years. What are organic food and why does everyone seem to be so obsessed with them? Are they all-in-all better for you? Should I be spending the extra money?
What is the difference between organic and non-organic?
Organic fruits and vegetables are grown with natural fertilizers, weeds are controlled naturally, and pests are controlled using natural methods. Non-Organic/conventionally-grown produce is grown with synthetic or chemical fertilizers, weeds are controlled with chemical herbicides, and pests are controlled with synthetic pesticides. All products that are labeled as organic must meet USDA standards, be certified, and labeled with the seal. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are not given antibiotics or growth hormones.
All products that are have at least 95% organic ingredients will have this seal on the packaging or product display. There are different levels of organic products based on the amount of organic ingredients used in the product.
100% organic-all ingredients must be certified organic/typically used for single items such as produce, eggs, or meats
Organic-at least 95% of the ingredients must be certified organic and the rest of the ingredients must be approved by the USDA to use the seal
Made with organic ingredients-at least 70% of ingredients must be certified as organic but these products will not have the seal
Organic ingredients-less than 70% of the ingredients are certified organic
Does organic and natural mean the same thing?
Organic and natural do not mean the same thing. "Natural" means that the food has no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. It is not talking about the methods of producing the actual food ingredients. Organic refers to the methods used to produce and grow the actual food ingredients. There is no formal definition to be able to use "natural" on a food label by the FDA or USDA. The FDA considers "natural" to mean that nothing artificial or synthetic has been included in or added to the food.
Organic foods can be very expensive, but if you're wanting to eat more organic produce the Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen are good lists to follow.
The "Clean 15" are generally low in pesticides and do not need to be bought organic:
Avocado
Corn
Pineapples
Frozen Sweet Peas
Onions
Papayas
Eggplant
Asparagus
Kiwi
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Cantaloupes
Broccoli
Mushrooms
Honeydew Melons
The "Dirty Dozen" are the foods that typically have the highest amount of pesticides and should be bought organic if possible:
Strawberries
Spinach
Kale
Nectarines
Apples
Grapes
Peaches
Cherries
Pears
Tomatoes
Celery
Potatoes
+Hot Peppers
What are reasons some people choose organic products?
They contain fewer pesticides
The food is often fresher but it does go bad quickly since there are no preservatives
Organic farming is better for the environment
Organic food is GMO-free (genetically modified organism: some crops are genetically modified to make the crops resistant to herbicide and to produce their own insecticides or to help grow more produce from a smaller batch of seeds) Genes can be added (trans genesis), subtracted (knockouts), or mutated (site-directed mutagenesis).
How do I tell if produce is organic or not?
When shopping for fresh fruits and vegetables, the little sticker with a barcode may tell you more than you think. This is the price look up code or PLU that allows the cashier to know exactly what product you have chosen to charge you correct. Four digit codes beginning with a #3 or 4 is the lookup code for a standard conventionally grown fruit or vegetable (ex. #4011 is a standard banana). The PLU with a 9 in front shows that the product is organic (#94011 is an organic banana). A PLU with a 8 in front shows that the product is genetically engineered, which are usually very rare (#84011 is a genetically engineered banana).
Remember: just because something is organic does not automatically make it healthy! Many foods such as cookies, chips, and other highly processed foods are remade with organic ingredients but are still the same basic food. The organic ingredients are only really different from non-organic ingredients in the way that they are grown up until they are used to make packaged foods. In the end, most organic and non-organic packaged foods have about the same amount of calories, carbohydrates, fat, and protein.
Don't fret if you cannot afford to buy all organic everything. Although there is nothing wrong with eating all organic diet, it can end up being very expensive and most cannot afford it. Essentially the nutrients, calories, and foods are the same in the end, they're just made using different types of ingredients. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, organic or not, for better health and to make sure you are getting the nutrients that you need! Be sure to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, wash them well before eating, and buy organic (especially dirty dozen items) when possible.
References: Mayo Clinic Staff. Organic foods: are they safer? more nutritious? https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/organic-food/art-20043880
Organic foods: what you need to know.https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/organic-foods.htm/
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