Organic Is The Clear Choice, Or Is It?
I
f you are lazy and don’t want to take the time to read this article then just read the next line. When shopping for food, pick organic!! In my opinion it is almost always the better
choice. So why is there a whole bunch of controversy surround- ing organically grown foods? There is controversy because evi- denced based science has NOT proven organically grown foods to be any better than the standard foods. At least that is what they are telling us. It is all very confusing for the average Joe. Let’s get a better understanding of what organic really means. According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s website, “USDA certified organic foods are grown and pro- cessed according to federal guidelines addressing, among many factors, soil quality, animal raising practices, pest and weed control, and use of additives. Organic producers rely on natu- ral substances and physical, mechanical, or biologically based farming methods to the fullest extent possible. Produce can be called organic if it’s certified to have grown on soil that had no prohibited substances applied for three years prior to harvest. Prohibited substances include most synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. In instances when a grower has to use a synthetic substance to achieve a specific purpose, the sub- stance must first be approved according to criteria that examine its effects on human health and the environment.” The USDA website also goes on to say that organic meat
must be raised in a manner that most closely mimics their natural environment and must not be given any antibiotics or hormones. They must either forage naturally or be given organic feed.
We now have a better idea of what organic food is and it
would seem that organic food is an obvious choice. Unfortu- nately it is not that cut and dry. Chemical companies as well as the US government have done extensive studies showing that chemical pesticides and fertilizers are safe. If you were a scientist reading over mountains of literature on the subject you
28 Essential Living Maine ~ September 2014
can find some very compelling evidence that chemical fertil- izers and pesticides don’t do us any harm. If there was strong evidence that these chemicals were causing us harm then there would be no argument. You can blame the lack of evidence on any conspiracy theory you can dream up but the fact is, the evidence just isn’t there. Or is it? As recently as 2012, The American Academy of Pediatrics came out with a position paper on pesticides. The paper states “Acute poisoning risks are clear, and understanding of chronic health implications from both acute and chronic exposure are emerging. Epidemiologic evidence demonstrates associations between early life exposure to pesticides and pediatric cancers, decreased cognitive function and behavioral problems.” Oops. So wait a minute. If all of those research articles claim that pesticides are safe then why would the American Academy of Pediatrics come out with a position paper on pesticides, warning of the potential dangers of overexposure in children? Apparently there is enough research out there that does say that pesticide exposure in children is potentially dangerous. It is all very frustrating. At some point you have to use some common sense. One can make a general assumption that pesticides and chemical fertilizers should be limited in the developing child. If one assumes that this is true, then surely organic foods are the healthier choice.
I recently heard a news bulletin claiming that organic foods were no healthier than regular foods. The newscasters proudly bellowed to the viewer to save your money and that there is no need to buy organic. I immediately decided to look up the actual article in question. The article in question concluded that there was not “strong” evidence that organic was better. The conclusion does not say organic isn’t healthier like the newscast did. The conclusions of the article were misinterpreted. It also concluded that organic foods may reduce exposure to pesticides and antibiotic resistant bacteria. The newscast didn’t mention
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