Organic Foods: Worth It?
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I buy organic. And I go by what I feel. After switching to organic I feel better. Pretty simple choice for me.0
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Working in food science, totally with ACG on this one.
As much as GMOs are used to selectively include things, they also selectively exclude things. I'm not advocating highly processed food - that's an entirely different ball game.
Show the evidence base on organic produce. A valid, empirically tested one.0 -
Working in food science, totally with ACG on this one.
As much as GMOs are used to selectively include things, they also selectively exclude things. I'm not advocating highly processed food - that's an entirely different ball game.
Show the evidence base on organic produce. A valid, empirically tested one.
well... yeah... it'd be weird if you didn't support GMOs since they support you paying your bills...0 -
Now that I am retired I can't do organic any more. It really makes no difference to me either way, I enjoy regular or organic. I can tell the difference though, really in the meat - its sweeter and clearer to the taste. YUMMY.0
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According to an article from WebMD, "The USDA makes no claims that organic foods are safer, healthier, or more nutritious than conventional foods. There is also little research on the health outcomes of people who eat primarily organic diets."
What do you think?
Are higher costs worth the benefits?
Why or why not?
they say that to protect themselves from legal problems - has nothing to do with the actual benefit of eating organic
basically what it comes down to is whether or not you want pesticides on your fruits and veggies, and whether or not you care about hormones and antibiotics in your meat
if you don't care, don't buy organic.
if you care, buy organic.
simple as that.
organic food is more expensive because it's more expensive and more time consuming to produce.
Organic can have herbicides and pesticides ...0 -
FYI: Organic veggies have just as much if not more pesticides on them
Please can you provide evidence for this statement?
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/science-sushi/2011/07/18/mythbusting-101-organic-farming-conventional-agriculture/
Interesting..
I'm just going to keep on buying veg as local as i can get it, whether that means it is certified organic or not. Seems to be the most sensible way of buying in Britain as then you are not only supporting local farms and you don't have to worry about foreign regulations.0 -
Working in food science, totally with ACG on this one.
As much as GMOs are used to selectively include things, they also selectively exclude things. I'm not advocating highly processed food - that's an entirely different ball game.
Show the evidence base on organic produce. A valid, empirically tested one.
well... yeah... it'd be weird if you didn't support GMOs since they support you paying your bills...
Actually, they don't. I'm a psychologist working in human health and nutrition psychology working within a food science company on a consultancy basis. I'm completely impartial in that regard. I do however know a lot about health claims and legislative matters, together with the consumer side of things. So, no. You are very wrong - I am not funded by anybody producing such products.0 -
I buy somethings organic and some not but I always try and by local! And I live in Canada so in the winter buying local is a challenge then I go the organic route most of the time!!!0
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I just want to point out that lime is not a harmful substance. It's used to reduce acidity in the soil so the plants don't die since many plants can't survive in overly acidic conditions. I wouldn't recommend bathing in the stuff, but it's not going to turn your food into a cancer bomb either. Lime, aka CaCO3, is found in lots of stuff that doesn't hurt you, like chalk and antacids. Agricultural lime is just pulverized limestone or chalk. It's ok to use and won't hurt anyone. So before people go claiming all organic additions are bad, do your research please.
As a side note, I buy organic when possible because I think it tastes better and we have some local organic farms that are in fact using more sustainable and healthier practices. But I also have overly sensitive taste buds so the taste thing might not be a common experience.0 -
"organic" produce is 8 times more likely to cause e-coli infection if not thorough cleaned properly than conventionally grown produce.
Organic farming is also far more abusive to farm land due to the fact that yield per acre is half or less conventional means.
Lower yield per acre drive costs up but with no proportional gain in real benefit to the consumer. It is just more expensive. While that higher prioce makes some people think something is better, for most of us facts are more important.
The number one source of fertilizer for "organic" farming is cow manure from factory cattle ranches. In fact there are very few, if any, non-animal based organic fertilizers that are mass produced. So good luck finding "vegan" certified organic at anything approaching affordable prices.
Bottom line is buy what your budget and taste buds like.
But if you buy organic at a farmers market remember to clean more thorough than you otherwise might.0 -
That is totally wrong, as well as misleading. We use certified organic seed. We weed by hand, use ducks and row covers for insect contriol, use no pesticides or herbicides of any kind, and don't allow any spraying from airplanes over our land. Water comes from our own well. Many organic farmers follow the same practices. The person who posted the quoted remark needs some education about this subject before sticking foot in mouth.
Your one experience can hardly be extended out to every "organic" farmer out there. To say that exposes your own total naivety.
Seeing as you're a farmer, then you should also know that plants themselves make their own pesticides.
On the other hand, are you really a farmer? Because how the hell does a farmer use "pesticide" and "herbicide" as comparative terms?0 -
Working in food science, totally with ACG on this one.
As much as GMOs are used to selectively include things, they also selectively exclude things. I'm not advocating highly processed food - that's an entirely different ball game.
Show the evidence base on organic produce. A valid, empirically tested one.
well... yeah... it'd be weird if you didn't support GMOs since they support you paying your bills...
Actually, they don't. I'm a psychologist working in human health and nutrition psychology working within a food science company on a consultancy basis. I'm completely impartial in that regard. I do however know a lot about health claims and legislative matters, together with the consumer side of things. So, no. You are very wrong - I am not funded by anybody producing such products.
ok... then what's your take on GMO foods? your initial post didn't really make that clear0 -
That is totally wrong, as well as misleading. We use certified organic seed. We weed by hand, use ducks and row covers for insect contriol, use no pesticides or herbicides of any kind, and don't allow any spraying from airplanes over our land. Water comes from our own well. Many organic farmers follow the same practices. The person who posted the quoted remark needs some education about this subject before sticking foot in mouth.
Your one experience can hardly be extended out to every "organic" farmer out there. To say that exposes your own total naivety.
Seeing as you're a farmer, then you should also know that plants themselves make their own pesticides.
On the other hand, are you really a farmer? Because how the hell does a farmer use "pesticide" and "herbicide" as comparative terms?
USDA certified organic farmers cannot use synthetic pesticides or herbicides and has to rely on natural means. the end.0 -
I generally don't care how my produce was grown but I try to buy my meat organic when I can. In general, organic meat doesn't require antibiotic use so I feel comfortable knowing I'm not contributing to germ resistance. Second, most meat is grown in factory like conditions (over crowding) and fed a corn based diet making them unhealthy. Personally, I feel better eating something that was more humanely treated. Last, there are some nutritional benefits like a lower Omega-6 count in grass fed beef for instance or wild caught salmon. There are environmental reasons to buying produce too but I feel the meat is more important in this regard.
The health benefits are kind of marginal really but if you if you understand the sustainability part of our agriculture system you might think twice. And anyone trying to scare you about GMO's, well, not all GMO's are equal and for the most part determined safe. But if you don't support farmers being sued over things like round-up ready contaminated fields then buy organic.
TL:DR Don't buy organic for health but for the environment.0 -
There are lots of natural pesticides that organic farmers use. Copper sprays, sulphur sprays, rotenone and pyrethrin to name a few.That is totally wrong, as well as misleading. We use certified organic seed. We weed by hand, use ducks and row covers for insect contriol, use no pesticides or herbicides of any kind, and don't allow any spraying from airplanes over our land. Water comes from our own well. Many organic farmers follow the same practices. The person who posted the quoted remark needs some education about this subject before sticking foot in mouth.
Your one experience can hardly be extended out to every "organic" farmer out there. To say that exposes your own total naivety.
Seeing as you're a farmer, then you should also know that plants themselves make their own pesticides.
On the other hand, are you really a farmer? Because how the hell does a farmer use "pesticide" and "herbicide" as comparative terms?
USDA certified organic farmers cannot use synthetic pesticides or herbicides and has to rely on natural means. the end.
You also don't know what a pesticide is, and what a herbicide is, do you?
Now that you've worked on your body, perhaps it's time for you to start working on your mind.0 -
That is totally wrong, as well as misleading. We use certified organic seed. We weed by hand, use ducks and row covers for insect contriol, use no pesticides or herbicides of any kind, and don't allow any spraying from airplanes over our land. Water comes from our own well. Many organic farmers follow the same practices. The person who posted the quoted remark needs some education about this subject before sticking foot in mouth.
Your one experience can hardly be extended out to every "organic" farmer out there. To say that exposes your own total naivety.
Seeing as you're a farmer, then you should also know that plants themselves make their own pesticides.
On the other hand, are you really a farmer? Because how the hell does a farmer use "pesticide" and "herbicide" as comparative terms?
USDA certified organic farmers cannot use synthetic pesticides or herbicides and has to rely on natural means. the end.
Which means .. they can use pesticides and herbicides.0 -
I think some of the thinking about what GMO's purpose is skewed sometimes. Monsanto's role in producing roundup ready crops is selling seeds to farmers.
Blame farmers for choosing to use the damn seeds.0 -
"organic" produce is 8 times more likely to cause e-coli infection if not thorough cleaned properly than conventionally grown produce.
Organic farming is also far more abusive to farm land due to the fact that yield per acre is half or less conventional means.
Lower yield per acre drive costs up but with no proportional gain in real benefit to the consumer. It is just more expensive. While that higher prioce makes some people think something is better, for most of us facts are more important.
The number one source of fertilizer for "organic" farming is cow manure from factory cattle ranches. In fact there are very few, if any, non-animal based organic fertilizers that are mass produced. So good luck finding "vegan" certified organic at anything approaching affordable prices.
Bottom line is buy what your budget and taste buds like.
But if you buy organic at a farmers market remember to clean more thorough than you otherwise might.
But organic farmers very often use crop rotation which is way more beneficial to the land than planting the same crop every single year. Many also grow multiple crops at once which is also better for the land and can help with things like nutrients, pests, and erosion. No-till methods also do wonders for the soil, and are more often used by organic farmers, though some conventional farmers use it too. Yield needs to be looked at across all crops, not just one crop from the organic farm being compared to a monoculture farm. A monoculture farm will always grow more corn for example, but an organic farm may have grown more food overall, but multiple different types.0 -
Organic seems fresher at my supermarket so I buy it.0
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Monetarily, NO.
As for your insides...that depends...if you have issues with digestion for the past 20+ years, possibly. If not, then NO.0
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