Is There A Benefit To Eating Organic Food?

A lot of people believe in the benefits organic food claims to offer. But is organic food better for you? Is organic food healthier than non organic food? What are the health benefits of eating organic?

Before you make the switch and commit to the higher price tag, let’s take a look at the common misconceptions between organic food vs non organic food. Comparing the pros and cons of organic food will help you make informed decisions the next time you grocery shop.

• ELI5

  Organic food is not necessarily better for you than conventionally grown food. In fact, there is no significant difference between the two in terms of toxicity or nutrition. It is a common misconception that organic produce does not have pesticides. However, this isn't true.

  Organic is just another marketing term used to make consumers think they are getting something better for them.

  Not only is it not healthier or tastier, but it is significantly more expensive!

  What is misleading about organic food marketing is that people are paying more money for something that might not be better. Conventionally grown food is safe and healthy to eat. You should direct your focus on eating a variety of fruits and vegetables. Whether they are organic or not will not make a difference to your health.

What Is Organic Food?

The definition of organic food is food that has the USDA Certified Organic label. To be labeled certified organic, foods must follow strict production standards. This is why it is not always easy to find or afford. For foods to be labeled organic, they must have been produced using natural substances and mechanical, physical, or biologically based farming methods wherever possible.

It is a common misconception that organic food does not contain pesticides. This is false.

95% of organic food consumers, surveyed in the UK, claimed to choose organic because they believe there is little to no pesticide use. The truth is that organic farming has little to do with the amount of pesticides used.

Organic farming absolutely does rely on pesticide use. There are also similar amount of pesticides on organic foods as there are on conventional foods. Additionally, research that has claimed organic foods lower pesticide levels in humans simply doesn‘t hold up.

In 2012, researchers from Stanford University collected and studied data from over 230 sources to see if organic foods were healthier or safer options compared to conventional foods.

They discovered that organic produce was no more nutritious than their less expensive non-organic counterparts. It was also found that the foods were just as susceptible to pathogenic bacteria such as E. coli or Salmonella.

Speaking of contamination: Organics are more likely to get contaminated than non-organic foods. "Organic foods are recalled four to eight times more frequently than their conventional counterparts," according to Bruce Chassy, a food science professor at the University of Illinois.

This is not surprising. Organic grains are also more likely to get infected with mycotoxins, which are produced by fungus.

In 2003, the Food Safety Agency in the UK investigated organic and conventional corn meal products for fungus contamination. All of the organic corn meals had excessive levels. The organic corn meals ranged from nine to 40 times greater than acceptable levels for human health. They were taken off the shelves voluntarily. The conventional foods, on the other hand, recorded about a quarter of the suggested maximum values.

So, if you’re going to buy organic products, don’t do it because you believe there is no pesticide use or that they’re safer to consume – chances are there is still pesticide residue on your fruits and veggies. What’s more is they could have increased levels of bacteria or fungi compared to conventional!

“But Organic Farming Only Uses Natural Pesticides”

This is another common misconception about organic food. Actually, the truth here is that organic farming uses MOSTLY natural pesticides. They also use some synthetic pesticides.

The USDA's so-called "organic" standards are highly subjective and allow for a wide range of exceptions based on "need." They provide a lot of leeway in deciding what is natural. 

Synthetic pesticide chemicals are usually prohibited. But there are a few exceptions. Most "natural" pesticides are allowed. The decisions are made using a complicated process that mixes farming practices with lobbying.

Organic food is a production system based on the philosophical belief that we shouldn't be using chemicals. This is chemophobia and the science has progressed past this.

In fact, even though many Americans believe that organic is healthier, safer and more environmentally friendly than conventionally grown foods, there has never been scientific evidence to support this claim.

This is because whether a chemical is natural or synthetic tells us nothing about its safety.

Nothing.

Just because something is deemed more natural does not make it more safe. Unless you are a common crop pest... you have nothing to worry about. Remember, the poison of any substance is always in the dose.

There are incredibly tiny amounts of pesticide residues found on BOTH conventional and organic foods, but they are minuscule compared to the "tolerance levels" that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regularly tests for.

The American food supply is very safe and there is little difference between organic and conventional food. The largest difference is the price with organic foods being 47% more expensive than conventional foods on average.

One way to explain this is that organic is a marketing term created by the industry. It is not a scientific designation.

All of the chemicals used in organic produce are still chemicals. They simply occur naturally. This doesn’t make them safer or more nutritious than non-organic food.

Typically speaking (and with most things), you get what you pay for. When it comes to organic produce, you're paying for the excellent marketing. Not necessarily a better food product.

You Need to Wash Your Produce - Especially If It’s Organic

There is little difference between organic and conventional foods, but either way, wash your produce thoroughly before eating it. Every year, about 48 million people get sick from consuming contaminated food.

Recently, the United States has experienced numerous severe cases of food poisoning attributed to contaminated produce. These are including spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, and cantelope.

And organic foods are more likely to harbor the harmful bacteria and fungi that could cause sickness.

If possible, the FDA advises selecting fruits or vegetables that aren't damaged. Check to see whether pre-sliced produce, such as bagged lettuce or cut pieces of watermelon, are refrigerated before purchase. Then, follow these guidelines:

1.  Before and after prepping produce, using warm water and soap  for at least 20 seconds.

2.  Before preparing or eating, make sure to cut off any damaged or bruised areas.

3.  Rinse produce thouroughly before peeling to avoid dirt and germs getting transferred from the peeler onto the produce.

4.  Rub the fruit or vegetable under a gentle stream of running water.  Do not use soap or any other produce wash.

5.  When cleaning firm produce, such as melons and cucumbers, use a soft and clean vegetable brush.

6.  To further reduce bacteria, dry produce with a clean towel or paper towel.

7.  Remove the outer leaves off a head of lettuce or cabbage.

Some have suggested the use of soap, vinegar, lemon juice, produce washes, or even commercial cleaners like bleach as a better way to wash produce.

Fresh fruits and vegetables should be adequately washed before being eaten to minimize contaminants that may be present. However, health and food safety professionals, such as the FDA and CDC, strongly advise people against using produce washes and other washing methods. Stick with plain cold water.

Is Organic More Nutritious?

Is eating organic better for you? In terms of nutrition, not really. According to current research, there is no difference in nutrition between organically grown food and conventionally grown food.

A review from the British Journal of Nutrition compared studies of organic and conventional foods and concluded that evidence is insufficient to recommend organically produced foods. 

There is some evidence that suggests that organic crops may contain higher antioxidant levels than regular crops. However, it was also found organic crops have lower concentrations of fiber and protein.

What is problematic about organic food marketing is that it is misleading. It confuses people into thinking that organic is better for them. It makes people think they have to pay a premium for food that is not toxic to them and their family.

Not only is this not true, but people are losing sight of what is more important - eating enough fruit and vegetables to support their overall health.

Organic is just another industry-created marketing term. It is intended to make some foods appear healthier and more beneficial for you, when in fact they are not.

 It is more important to include a variety of fruit and vegetables in your diet. Organic or not is not going to have a major impact on the quality of the food you eat.

There has also been no study to show or disprove whether organic food tastes better than conventional food. That would be highly subjective research since people's responses to the taste of foods are so varied.

The Truth About Organic Foods

It doesn't matter if you buy organic or conventional food.

One is not better for you than the other.

If you want to eat organic, that is totally fine. But is organic food better for you? Not necessarily.

Just understand that there is little evidence that it is healthier than conventionally grown. Don't be fooled into spending more money on something thinking you are healthier for it. Focus more on eating enough produce to maintain your health and support your goals.

Organic farming doesn’t reduce pesticide use, but growing GMO crops that are more resistant to pests does. Read more about GMO’s in our blog post here!

• References

  1. Cost of Organic Food - Consumer Reports. (n.d.). https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2015/03/cost-of-organic-food/index.htm.

  2. Environmental Protection Agency. (2016, September 16). About Pesticide Tolerances. EPA. https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-tolerances/about-pesticide-tolerances.

  3. McEvoy, P. by M., Rwilymz, Bj, Commoncents, Old_Technician, Pamela, Kreb, M., Senseless, Wallace, M., G, P., K, A., Hootowl, H., Lowe, G., Weaver, B., Denise, Debbie, Allen, CityGirlGardener, Farms, R. B., … Johnson, T. (2019, March 13). Organic 101: What the USDA Organic Label Means. USDA. https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2012/03/22/organic-101-what-usda-organic-label-means.

  4. Mie, A., Andersen, H. R., Gunnarsson, S., Kahl, J., Kesse-Guyot, E., Rembiałkowska, E., Quaglio, G., & Grandjean, P. (2017, October 27). Human health implications of organic food and organic agriculture: a comprehensive review. Environmental health : a global access science source. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5658984/.

  5. Organic Pesticide Ingredients. National Pesticide Information Center. (n.d.). http://npic.orst.edu/ingred/organic.html.

  6. Reporter, S. (2005, September 5). Organic foods taste better, claims new poll. foodnavigator.com. https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2005/09/05/Organic-foods-taste-better-claims-new-poll.

  7. Reeser, D. (2013, April 10). Natural versus Synthetic Chemicals Is a Gray Matter. Scientific American Blog Network. https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/natural-vs-synthetic-chemicals-is-a-gray-matter/.

  7. Wilcox, C. (2011, July 18). Mythbusting 101: Organic Farming > Conventional Agriculture. Scientific American Blog Network. https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/science-sushi/httpblogsscientificamericancomscience-sushi20110718mythbusting-101-organic-farming-conventional-agriculture/.

  8. Nutritional content of organic and conventional foods. Science Media Centre. (n.d.). Retrieved February 10, 2022, from https://www.sciencemediacentre.org/nutritional-content-of-organic-and-conventional-foods/

  9. Stanford study shows little evidence of health benefits from Organic Foods. FSI. (2012, September 4). Retrieved February 10, 2022, from https://fsi.stanford.edu/news/stanford_study_shows_little_evidence_of_health_benefits_from_organic_foods_20120904/

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