Do you buy organic?

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Replies

  • Picola1984
    Picola1984 Posts: 1,133
    Some fab posts in here and definitely some food for thought

    I had to go to Asda (Walmart) to get some photos processed and needed some lemons. So I got organic lemons, spinach and mushrooms.

    Now if they are organic, is there need to fully rinse them still? I still would as I don't like the thought of hands all over the produce when packed!

    I don't often drink cows milk but will get organic on the occasion i choose too, also for my fella, not that he gives a stuff!

    I thought this would create a bit of a debate, which is good!
  • Damiilla
    Damiilla Posts: 66
    Having lived in both the USA and England, I can absolutely see a difference of marketing in organic food, and I think that's what it really boils down to.

    I found organic foods to be cheaper, easier to find and more "trustworthy" in the UK. Everyone I worked with ate organic. Buying non-organic cage eggs, even though they were cheaper, was like kicking a puppy.

    I would always buy organic BUT I do think you have to be smart about it. I saw an organic carrot cake yesterday. Really!? I looked at it out of interest and it had more fat and sugar than a sheet cake.

    Peas are actually fresher to buy frozen as well.
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
    there is no proof that organic food is more nutritious or safer, and most studies that have compared the taste and organoleptic quality of organic and conventional foods report no consistent or significant differences between organic and conventional produce.

    Also, body of scientific literature have not found that organic food is any safer or healthier than conventional foods.

    Claims of improved safety of organic food has largely focused on pesticide residues. While studies have shown organically grown fruits and vegetables have significantly lower pesticide residue levels, the significance of this finding on actual health risk reduction is debatable as both conventional foods and organic foods generally have pesticide levels well below government established guidelines for what is considered safe.

    "organic" as of 2012 has no health benefits. actually that is a lie, it is good marketing.. they can charge you money =)

    with that said, i dont waste money. i will however buy from local farmers, but i'll never spend more on "organic"
    ^^^^^^^^
    THIS
    And I don't give a rip about how animals are treated.
    Maybe it's a compassion thing for some. Fine.
    Count me OUT!
    All I care about is the end result.
    I see NO DIFFERENCE.

    One thing to consider; if you have a plate of mixed conventional vegetables - all of which have been sprayed numerous times - even though the pesticides residues are low (below Legal MRL - Maximum Residue Levels) you are still mixing chemicals - who knows what the end consequence will be after 40 years - this argument is called The Chemical Time Bomb.

    As for not giving a rip about animal welfare - it's fine except when something like BSE arrives and the possible link to CJD, or would you like to eat chicken which has had 40 days lying on it's breast because it can't walk because it has been fed too rich a diet - end result the breasts have been burnt with ammonia because it cant lift it's self out of it's own dung - Enjoy!

    Regards,
    S.
    Not as many chemicals as mere breathing.
    Anyway, if it's important to you, have at it.
    And I do enjoy!
    I have yet to taste any real difference once the meat is cooked. I hear all this mumbo-jumbo, but from plate to mouth, no difference.
  • misskerouac
    misskerouac Posts: 2,242 Member

    Now if they are organic, is there need to fully rinse them still? I still would as I don't like the thought of hands all over the produce when packed!

    Natural fertilizers used in organic farming still contain bacteria, as well as organic produce can contain up to 1/3 pesticide residue that conventionally grown food does due to drift from conventional farms and contaminated soil.

    Not to mention all the grubby hands that touch the food during transport, stocking, and people picking through them at the store/market.
  • zzzkitty
    zzzkitty Posts: 7 Member
    I buy organic whenever I can. Aside from the health benefits that come from fewer pesticides and hormones in my diet, and the benefit to our planet, it just tastes so much better. I truly enjoy such amazing good flavor and feel like it is a treat to eat it. Having such good quality food helps me to keep on track. Smaller amounts - but good quality food! Feels like I am treating my body well!
  • ShaunMc1968
    ShaunMc1968 Posts: 204

    Now if they are organic, is there need to fully rinse them still? I still would as I don't like the thought of hands all over the produce when packed!

    Natural fertilizers used in organic farming still contain bacteria, as well as organic produce can contain up to 1/3 pesticide residue that conventionally grown food does due to drift from conventional farms and contaminated soil.

    1/3rd of the residues - Really? Organic farms have to have a physical barrier such as a hedge, track or river wherever there is a threat from spray drift from conventional farms. The threat of spray drift is minimal especially as most sprayers have to be tested annually and most use low drift nozzles. Also, the cost of sprays is really expensive - not many farmers want to spray their neighbours fields for free. If you can give me the source of your 1/3rd residue claim I would love to read it. Thanks.

    Regards,
    S.
  • zzzkitty
    zzzkitty Posts: 7 Member
    You make some good points...the only way that we can change the toxic food environment of our country is by voting with our feet, and supporting good farming practices and production methods.
  • CRody44
    CRody44 Posts: 776 Member
    We buy all of our mostly organic fruits and veggies at the local Farmers Market every Saturday morning. They are locally grown (helping the local economy, not some South American Dictator), usually picked ripe and fresh the day before (not picked early, gassed, refrigerated, stored and shipped from 7,000 miles away) and the taste cannot be compared to grocery store junk.

    We buy our eggs from the lady around the corner, usually collected the same day. They have the run of her 30+ acres and there wasn’t anything I couldn’t pronounce in the feed. Tall yokes and tight whites!

    I bought some grass fed and finished New Yorks at a local “natural food” store and didn’t notice until after I got home that it was a product of Paraguay. It was a very dark red. I now wonder if this may have been subjected to some method of preservation to get it to the west coast before it rotted. Won’t be doing that again.
  • MeeshyBW
    MeeshyBW Posts: 382 Member
    Always eggs, almost always dairy, I eat very little dairy but DH does - butter yes, milk 85% of the time, cheese - 50% time as most good gourmet chese is not organic. 90% all meat the other 10% free range - never intensively farmed. Always responsibly sourced tuna, always organic salmon, organic shrimp, not always organic white fish but always responiby sourced. All tinned goods like beans, tomatoes etc organic where available. Vegetables 70% of the time.

    I spend a lot of time making sure what my family eats is th very best we can possibly afford. The meat is by far the greatest expense but we regard meat as a luxury which it should be. Years of battery farming have made people on the UK think its prefectly normal to be able to buy a whole chicken for £3.50! Think about it people... £3.50?!!!! My chickens cost around 3-5 times that depending on size. Organic meat cannnot be compared to this type of meat. It is far superior in every way. I think meat farmed in such a way should be illegal. You dont need to eat 2 chicken breast a day, there are other affordable protiens in eggs and beans tayt dont cost so much. Price is no excuse. Its just laziness imo.

    Your body deserves to gett h best fuel that is not laced with pesticides and hormones.
  • misskerouac
    misskerouac Posts: 2,242 Member

    Now if they are organic, is there need to fully rinse them still? I still would as I don't like the thought of hands all over the produce when packed!

    Natural fertilizers used in organic farming still contain bacteria, as well as organic produce can contain up to 1/3 pesticide residue that conventionally grown food does due to drift from conventional farms and contaminated soil.

    1/3rd of the residues - Really? Organic farms have to have a physical barrier such as a hedge, track or river wherever there is a threat from spray drift from conventional farms. The threat of spray drift is minimal especially as most sprayers have to be tested annually and most use low drift nozzles. Also, the cost of sprays is really expensive - not many farmers want to spray their neighbours fields for free. If you can give me the source of your 1/3rd residue claim I would love to read it. Thanks.

    Regards,
    S.


    Woah! Calm down. I said UP TO 1/3. And I wasn't saying anything against organic, I was just responding to her question of washing the food for fu*ks sake. I love when people pick and choose parts of sentences.

    Here is the study "Food Additives and Contaminants, 2002, vol. 19, no. 5"
  • dgwear
    dgwear Posts: 11 Member
    not unless i notice a difference in the quality
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3CoIqpyPYY
  • healthyshelleym
    healthyshelleym Posts: 29 Member
    Yes, I do buy organic (where possible). As it is not convenient for me to get to an organic farmers market and my local supermarkets hold very limited organic supplies and not much variety, I have my vegetables, eggs and milk delivered by Organic Angels (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia) once a week who collect their orders from farmers markets the day before delivery. Organic is always a little more pricey however I do not want produce I put in my body to be covered with pesticide residue. I like that the produce comes from farmers markets which is much better than getting vegetables from the supermarket that have been sitting in their colds stores for who knows how long. I have heard that apples can sit in cold stores for up to 6 months (losing vitality). I also grow fruit and veg in my small garden at home. Of course, I do still have to purchase vegetables from supermarkets to fill the gaps. Variety and colour is very important.

    Having briefly studies nutrition with my favourite subject being Food As Medicine I strongly believe that organic is the way to go.

    I am vegetarian and have definitely seen an improvement in my health since I made purchasing organic food a priority.

    Food is something to be enjoyed and organic food is so much more flavoursome :)
  • healthyshelleym
    healthyshelleym Posts: 29 Member
    I was buying EVERYTHING organic and it doubled our food bill. I've hence given up on 100% and only purchase organic if the price is right or that's the only option. Sadly it's just so expensive for people in college so it's not something I can do all the time. When we have better income it will definitely be a preference. I also avoid most processed foods so that should help some.

    Suggestion: If there is a business near you similar to Organic Angels in Australia where they deliver a box of vegetables weekly then perhaps you could go halves with someone OR meal plan and freeze the excess (as meals). I love pumpkins and carrots but my man won't eat either of these so I soup them and freeze them in single serves. There is no waste and an easy lunch or dinner is in the freezer as required. This makes it much cheaper in the long run. And healthy :happy:
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,446 Member
    I buy around 80% organic, 65% local. Working on increasing both.

    I like to stick with watching out for the dirty dozen nearly 100% of the time. If you can't go organic for everything, it is beneficial to go organic for things where you eat the skin.
    grapes, apples, pears, peppers, berries, peaches, lettuce, carrots, tomatoes tend to be the items that absorb the most pesticides.

    Things that you don't need to buy organic, unless you feel like it: citrus fruit, avocado, melons and bananas.

    I subscribe to a CSA, so I get local organic produce weekly with my farm subscription. I also try to stick to the organic section for my produce, but I find there are some things it is pretty difficult to get organic, so I am less concerned. I try to make it local too. I also shop at the farmers market.

    I find that organic produce tends to taste better, so that is one of the main reasons I get it. Local is generally better too, but I realize that since I live in California, pretty much everything is available local year round. This isn't practical for everyone.
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,446 Member
    I buy some organics, but I focus on buying what is local and in season. Even if it isn't organic buying local supports local economy and is more nutritious than buying from grocery stores.

    Also many small local farms do not have the money to get the organic certification, but are practicing organic or better farming techniques. If you buy local, you can inquire about the growing procedures. And you may get a steal, "organic" produce without the label.
  • BetsyRose
    BetsyRose Posts: 4
    Not always. If I am out by Trader Joe's I do. It's cheap and I love their produce and the other items they carry.
  • HFD68
    HFD68 Posts: 16
    with anything i say buyer beware. if you are going to go for organic i feel you better know and trust your grower. i work at a fruit stand in the summer. the orchard is not organic. but it has been known to happen that when our fruit is delivered to other outlets they call our product organic, even though it is made clear that it is not.

    it doesnt have to be all or nothing when it comes to crop care. what they do i believe is called intergrated farming. in a basic explanation they are very careful what they spray for. we often see beneficial bugs come in because they havent sprayed insecticides that wipe everything out. they target crop specific problems. and they do use some organic sprays, but arent tied to organic specifications, which can be very expensiveand time consuming. when orchards move from traditional to organic it can take years to get soils oked for organic specifications.

    i prefer to focus on buying local.

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