When I'm at the grocery, store the first place I find myself is the produce isle, where I always have this internal battle over whether or not to buy organic stuff. Part of me thinks, "buy organic, its good for you and better for the environment". But another part is always saying, "ahh that's a load of crap, it's more expensive and doesn't make a difference anyway." So there I am wondering well, which is it? I did a little digging, and decided it might make a good topic for today's post.
First off, there are so many issues related to the whole organic food debate, I needed to narrow it down. For me the thing that matters most is the impact it may have on the health of my family. From that standpoint, the two main issues seem to be pesticide residues, and nutrient retention.
What's so bad about pesticide? The most commonly used pesticides work by affecting the nervous systems of insects. Unfortunately, they can also affect the human nervous system. Pesticides can also cause cancer and endocrine malfunction. It is thought that children may be particularly affected by consuming pesticides because of their higher metabolism, different eating habits, and developing organs. For more info from the EPA on why not to chow down on insect killer, click here (ok, maybe that was a little strongly worded, but you get the point). I think we can all agree we don't want to eat too much of the stuff. The book "Anticancer" speaks of a theory of disease called the "the seed and the soil". Basically this says that we create an environment in our bodies (the soil) that either is conducive or not to the development of disease (the seeds). What we put in our bodies on a daily basis sets up the stage for the development of disease or a natural resistance to it. This is a commonsense concept, but I think sometimes we get so busy with life we forget that we actually are what we eat. That said, if we can adopt simple changes that affect what goes in our mouths every day, we can make a real difference in longevity.
A quick note on limiting exposure. When you are buying products that have a lot of edible surface area, such as leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, kale, and such), it is important to go organic. These products are often sprayed with harsh pesticides, and owing to their large surfaces, will hold the most residue. Also washing produce is a must, whether it be organic or not. If you are eating pesticide treated produce, a wash designed to reduce residue is advisable. You can make an inexpensive wash at home with white vinegar and a little salt (click here to see how). Products with a skin that is not eaten or is easy to clean pose less of a risk. These include onions, avocados, and the like. For more info on pesticides and disease, see the following: Organophosphorous Pesticide Exposure of Urban and Suburban Preschool Children With Organic and Conventional Diets. This study measured pesticide in the urine of children, and showed that levels increased or decreased rapidly based on whether they ate conventional or organic products. Also see: Pesticides and Cancer.
Enough about that for now, let's move on to nutrients. According to the Mayo Clinic (click here), a recent study looked at the scientific literature over the last fifty years, and determined that there was a minimal nutritional difference between organic and conventionally grown produce. Given that, I think the following formula presented by Mark Sisson, author of The Primal Blueprint, makes a lot of sense. He says that your buying habits should go in this order:
Organic and Local > Conventional and Local > Organic and Remotely Grown > Conventional and Remotely Grown
There are a couple reasons for conventionally grown local food beating remotely grown organic food. Local farmers are more likely to use kinder growing methods and less chemicals than large commercial farms, and you are more likely to get these products near the peak of their freshness. Organic products grown far away are less likely to be fresh and nutrient rich after the long trip to your local store.
To sum it up, it seems that for the biggest health benefits you should try to eat the most nutrient rich food with the least pesticide residue. Sounds straight forward, and it can be. I realize that it will drive any of us crazy to stress over this stuff too much. So let's lay out a few simple rules to shop by that won't kill the budget and will make a healthy difference.
#1 If It Is Green, then Go Green!
This includes bell peppers, lettuce, spinach, kale, and so on.
#2 Edible Skin, Organic Wins!
This goes for things like eggplant, tomatoes, apples, grapes.
#3 Keep it Close to Home.
If you can buy local, do.
While these three rules may not adhere to every study ever written, they are easy to remember when you are in the produce section, and they are a good start in the right direction toward eating healthy.
Information for this post came from the following: The Primal Blueprint, a book by Mark Sisson. Anticancer, a book by Dr. David Servan-Schreiber. The Mayo Clinic website. The recipe for veggie wash was from thriftyfun.com. The EPA website.
Coming Soon... Why organic can be important when choosing meat and dairy.
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