Where do you guys stand on this debate?

Options
124

Replies

  • fishgutzy
    fishgutzy Posts: 2,807 Member
    Options
    Depending on the vegetable type, you can be many times more likely to get seriously ill from organic.
    You have to be far more diligent in cleaning 'organics.'
    However, if one care about the environment, Organics are more harmful over all. The crop yield is less than half per acre of conventional farming.
    Personally, I grab what they have for frozen veggies at Costco :)
  • headwind2015
    headwind2015 Posts: 69 Member
    edited July 2015
    Options
    So... the cow will probably get diseases, then? The antibiotics are for a reason. No thanks, I'll stick to non-organic.

    No, antibiotics are primarily used to promote growth and improve feed efficiency (weight gain through water retention). Antibiotics are also used as prophylaxis constantly which is the equivalent of you taking an antibiotic for the rest of your life because you might get sick.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
    Options
    nvsmomketo wrote: »
    I think organic can be better for you, but there are a lot of other factors that go towards making food less healthy. For example, a cow that is fed orangic grains to fatten/finish it will have a different type of meat with a changed ratio of omega 6 to 3, than a cow who is grass fed it's entire life.

    No. Just No. A cow that is fed GRAINS to finish will produce beef with a slightly different nutrient profile than a cow that is fed grass to finish, and a cow that is fed anything with Omega 3's in it will produce beef with more Omega 3's. Organic or otherwise has absolutely nothing to do with it.

    But a cow raise organically will not be pumped full of hormones, steroids and antibiotics throughout it's life. Those things remain in the meat we eat.

    So... the cow will probably get diseases, then? The antibiotics are for a reason. No thanks, I'll stick to non-organic. Plus, I'm on hormone and steroid medication anyway!

    The cow may get a disease. Humans may also get a disease. Not many pump themselves full of antibiotics regularly to prevent it. Because with overuse comes resistance.

    Stick with whatever you like. I never suggested you do otherwise.
  • sjp_511
    sjp_511 Posts: 476 Member
    Options
    So... the cow will probably get diseases, then? The antibiotics are for a reason. No thanks, I'll stick to non-organic.

    No, antibiotics are primarily used to promote growth and improve feed efficiency (weight gain through water retention). Antibiotics are also used as prophylaxis constantly which is the equivalent of you taking an antibiotic for the rest of your life because you might get sick.

    The beef farm I grew up on didn't use antibiotics for growth/feed efficiency. When some of the herd showed signs of sickness, we would generally give all the cows a treatment. Depending on the sickness and medication, sometimes the sick cows would get a higher dose or different medication than the ones not showing symptoms. Medication is expensive, so we opted to use it only when we thought necessary.
  • beemerphile1
    beemerphile1 Posts: 1,710 Member
    Options
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    i don't really worry about it either way...I buy most of my groceries, including produce at costco...they have a lot of organic stuff that doesn't really cost much more so I usually will opt for that..but I don't go out of my way to buy organic...

    I think certain things do taste better...I think organic cage free eggs taste better than not...and I like grass fed beef better...which is kind of pricey, but I don't eat that much beef.

    This is the factory farm definition of that "Cage Free" label;

    ?u=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.oregonlive.com%2Foregonian%2Fphoto%2F2013%2F02%2F12347579-standard.jpg&f=1

    Seriously, it is perfectly legit and meets the definition of cage free.

    Not sure what definition you are using, but by the USDA definition, those birds in cages (or eggs from them) could not labeled cage free. Cage free means exactly and only what is says. The chickens cannot be in cages. They may be kept inside for their whole lives, but not in cages. They must be allowed to roam, even if inside a building.

    Those aren't cages, I believe what you are seeing are elevated levels one on top of the other. Each level has a railing to prevent the animals falling.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
    Options
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    i don't really worry about it either way...I buy most of my groceries, including produce at costco...they have a lot of organic stuff that doesn't really cost much more so I usually will opt for that..but I don't go out of my way to buy organic...

    I think certain things do taste better...I think organic cage free eggs taste better than not...and I like grass fed beef better...which is kind of pricey, but I don't eat that much beef.

    This is the factory farm definition of that "Cage Free" label;

    ?u=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.oregonlive.com%2Foregonian%2Fphoto%2F2013%2F02%2F12347579-standard.jpg&f=1

    Seriously, it is perfectly legit and meets the definition of cage free.

    Not sure what definition you are using, but by the USDA definition, those birds in cages (or eggs from them) could not labeled cage free. Cage free means exactly and only what is says. The chickens cannot be in cages. They may be kept inside for their whole lives, but not in cages. They must be allowed to roam, even if inside a building.

    Those aren't cages, I believe what you are seeing are elevated levels one on top of the other. Each level has a railing to prevent the animals falling.

    OIC Then yes, as long as they are free to roam around it fits the definition.
  • bbontheb
    bbontheb Posts: 718 Member
    Options
    I don't care about organic. We shop according to cost due to budget.
  • headwind2015
    headwind2015 Posts: 69 Member
    Options
    bbontheb wrote: »
    I don't care about organic. We shop according to cost due to budget.

    I totally understand where you're coming from, but as nation we spend less on food than almost any other developed country in the world. On top of that nearly a third of the U.S. food dollar is spent on eating out services and that is according to the USDA.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
    Options
    Organic is mixed in with all the other food at our super market. Sometimes I get it by accident. I don't actively buy it. Too expensive. People will argue until their head turns purple that it is "better" for you. I'd rather have my head stay a color other than purple and save quite a few dollars in the process.

    Wait, what? Why would your head be purple? Do they argue until their head turns purple or yours?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
    Options
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    i don't really worry about it either way...I buy most of my groceries, including produce at costco...they have a lot of organic stuff that doesn't really cost much more so I usually will opt for that..but I don't go out of my way to buy organic...

    I think certain things do taste better...I think organic cage free eggs taste better than not...and I like grass fed beef better...which is kind of pricey, but I don't eat that much beef.

    This is the factory farm definition of that "Cage Free" label;

    ?u=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.oregonlive.com%2Foregonian%2Fphoto%2F2013%2F02%2F12347579-standard.jpg&f=1

    Seriously, it is perfectly legit and meets the definition of cage free.

    and?
  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
    Options
    There are a few fruits and veggies like berries, celery and carrots that I always buy organic.
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,641 Member
    Options
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    i don't really worry about it either way...I buy most of my groceries, including produce at costco...they have a lot of organic stuff that doesn't really cost much more so I usually will opt for that..but I don't go out of my way to buy organic...

    I think certain things do taste better...I think organic cage free eggs taste better than not...and I like grass fed beef better...which is kind of pricey, but I don't eat that much beef.

    This is the factory farm definition of that "Cage Free" label;

    ?u=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.oregonlive.com%2Foregonian%2Fphoto%2F2013%2F02%2F12347579-standard.jpg&f=1

    Seriously, it is perfectly legit and meets the definition of cage free.

    and?

    "Cage free" brings to mind images of chickens pecking around a barnyard, when it's actually chickens piled up on top of eachother without cages, free to peck and scratch eachother's guts out due to stress, unless, of course, someone cuts its beak off. Many people don't understand that cage free and free range aren't the same thing. Personally, I like the idea of a miserable chicken in a cage better than a chicken in a massive justified cockfight setting. I'm not saying either is the way to go, or that I even give a crap where my eggs or chicken come from (I don't, really). Just putting the info out there.
  • mpat81
    mpat81 Posts: 351 Member
    Options
    I am with the others here, I will buy whatever looks the freshest and most appealing. In the summer I subscribe to a local CSA. In the winter I eat all the same stuff but I get it from the local independent grocery store. There is a difference in taste in a few items, (tomatoes, berries, etc), but not enough to keep me from buying them. If the organic lettuce looks tasty I will buy it. If the gmo corn on the cob is plump and inviting, I'll get that too!
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    Options
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    i don't really worry about it either way...I buy most of my groceries, including produce at costco...they have a lot of organic stuff that doesn't really cost much more so I usually will opt for that..but I don't go out of my way to buy organic...

    I think certain things do taste better...I think organic cage free eggs taste better than not...and I like grass fed beef better...which is kind of pricey, but I don't eat that much beef.

    This is the factory farm definition of that "Cage Free" label;

    ?u=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.oregonlive.com%2Foregonian%2Fphoto%2F2013%2F02%2F12347579-standard.jpg&f=1

    Seriously, it is perfectly legit and meets the definition of cage free.

    and?

    "Cage free" brings to mind images of chickens pecking around a barnyard...

    The carrying capacity of land for free-ranging birds is depressingly small - about 50 birds per *acre*. Packed-in birds will stay a reality, unless the US is willing to turn over the entire state of Oregon to chicken production (and nothing else).

  • raleighzia
    raleighzia Posts: 128 Member
    Options
    Omgosh! I had absolutely NO idea this question would turn into such an intriguing discussion. Everyone obviously has their stance on why they support organic eating or not for various reasons. I definitely heard each one loud and clear as they were all valid. I definitely will try one of the "dirty dozen" in its organic version some time in the near future but not quite sure that I am ready to go totally organic!
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    Options
    nvsmomketo wrote: »
    I think organic can be better for you, but there are a lot of other factors that go towards making food less healthy. For example, a cow that is fed orangic grains to fatten/finish it will have a different type of meat with a changed ratio of omega 6 to 3, than a cow who is grass fed it's entire life.

    No. Just No. A cow that is fed GRAINS to finish will produce beef with a slightly different nutrient profile than a cow that is fed grass to finish, and a cow that is fed anything with Omega 3's in it will produce beef with more Omega 3's. Organic or otherwise has absolutely nothing to do with it.

    That was my point. Organic isn't always best. I'd rather have the grass fed and finished beef than the organic grain fed beef.

    Although organic, grass fed and finished, antibiotic free beef would probably be my first choice.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Options
    Mr_Knight wrote: »

    The carrying capacity of land for free-ranging birds is depressingly small - about 50 birds per *acre*. Packed-in birds will stay a reality, unless the US is willing to turn over the entire state of Oregon to chicken production (and nothing else).

    Except there's winter. I found out here in Canada even our free range chickens are housed in the winter. So I think you'll have to give up South Carolina or maybe Florida.
  • irnz
    irnz Posts: 19 Member
    Options
    With regards to chickens and eggs, it definitely helps if they are allowed to supplement their diet by foraging. We used to have chickens in our back yard in Ukraine and we would feed them grain but they were allowed to roam the yard and eat whatever else they found for at least a couple hours a day (except winter because there wouldn't be much for them to eat anyway and they could get sick from exposure). Those eggs were delicious, as were the chickens (we had to eat them before we moved to the US). Most chicken in the US doesn't taste like anything, which it's why I guess people say evening they try that's new tastes like chicken. Maybe when I can afford it I will try some free-range chicken to see if it actually tastes like chicken instead of just nondescript meat.
  • headwind2015
    headwind2015 Posts: 69 Member
    edited August 2015
    Options
    irnz wrote: »
    . Maybe when I can afford it I will try some free-range chicken to see if it actually tastes like chicken instead of just nondescript meat.

    You will be disappointed; the USDA definition of free-range is not something you'd recognize as free-range.