Why Choose Organic Food?
Every so often, a trendy buzzword captures public attention, and currently, “organic” is all the rage. Grocery stores are flooded with foods labeled as “organic,” and their availability continues to grow. But is organic food truly better for you? Are there compelling reasons to choose organic over conventional options?
To answer this, we first need to clarify what “organic” means. Linguistically, the term originates from the Greek word ergon, referring to the energy of living things. It evolved through the Latin orgon, describing bodily functions, and into Middle English as “organic,” meaning related to the organs of animals or plants. In science, organic denotes naturally occurring processes or carbon-based chemicals within living tissue. For food, “organic” typically refers to products grown without pesticides, antibiotics, added hormones, or steroids. However, this term can be misleading, as technically, anything derived from living tissue is organic. The term gains significance only when labeled as Certified Organic, indicating that producers have met strict government standards prohibiting the use of pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, or chemical fertilizers. For this discussion, “organic” refers to food grown, harvested, and processed without these substances.
You might be thinking, “Don’t these chemicals make food safer?” Here’s a troubling truth: we don’t fully know their long-term effects. Despite living in an era of advanced technology, the long-term impact of prolonged exposure to these chemicals on humans remains largely unstudied. Many assume the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) and EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) rigorously test these substances, but the reality is different. The FDA doesn’t conduct its own tests; it relies on companies to self-test, often without requiring disclosure of negative results. These reports are rarely verified, as the FDA focuses more on labeling compliance, enforced stringently to favor large food conglomerates and pharmaceutical companies. The EPA, meanwhile, often limits its role to issuing permits and occasional fines, allowing harmful substances like Fen-Phen and Thalidomide to reach the market, only to be recalled after causing significant harm. This lax oversight contributes to issues like contaminated rivers with signs warning against eating fish due to cancer-causing chemicals and recurring E. coli outbreaks. These are just some reasons to consider organic food.
The Hidden Costs of Conventional Agriculture
In the private sector, the situation is equally concerning. Funding for independent research is scarce, as neither governments nor corporations are eager to investigate potential health risks that could undermine their profits. Most research aims to develop patentable products safe enough to avoid lawsuits, while independent studies challenging the status quo are often discredited or ignored. Action is typically taken only after catastrophic events, such as the Toxic Shock Syndrome or Fen-Phen disasters.
The lack of hard data on long-term chemical exposure has serious implications:
- Chemicals from crops infiltrate the water table and soil, persisting and concentrating in rivers, lakes, and ponds, harming entire ecosystems.
- Chemicals interact unpredictably, potentially transforming into carcinogens or more toxic substances when combined, especially given the hundreds of pesticides, hormones, and fertilizers used in agriculture.
- Overuse of pesticides and antibiotics fosters resistant super-strains of diseases and insects, posing greater threats than their predecessors.
- Agriculture, more than any other activity, damages the environment by killing wildlife to protect crops and destroying habitats. Farmers are exempt from hunting regulations and can graze cattle on public land at minimal cost, while conservation-minded sportsmen face strict rules and high fees.
Given these concerns, organic food appears to be a prudent choice. Some studies, often funded by the food industry, claim organic foods offer no nutritional advantage over conventional ones. However, this sidesteps the issue of chemical exposure, which is suspected to contribute to cancers, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, lupus, and various autoimmune diseases. These suspicions lack confirmation due to limited research funding, with most significant studies conducted by underfunded universities.
Critics of organic food often raise these counterarguments:
- Organic food is no different from conventional food. Anyone with senses can discern the difference in taste, smell, and appearance. If there were no distinction, how could the FDA and USDA certify producers?
- Pesticide levels are minimal and safe. “Safe” levels are arbitrarily set by boards lacking medical expertise, applying only to individual foods. Combined exposure from multiple foods and chemical-laden tap water can exponentially increase risk, with unknown long-term effects.
- Organic methods can’t feed the world. This is false. Agriculture produces enough food globally to feed everyone five times over daily, operating at just 65% capacity. Government subsidies even pay farmers not to grow food to maintain prices, ignoring global hunger.
The main downside of organic food is its higher cost, as farmers yield less per acre due to crop rotation, proper spacing, and losses to disease or predation. Transporting organic food, especially out-of-season produce, also generates pollution. However, organic farming avoids chemical use, resulting in better-tasting, more vibrant produce and higher-quality meat and eggs from animals fed organic, free-range diets. This approach reduces environmental chemical loads, benefiting ecosystems.
Keep in mind that “organic” refers only to production methods. Organic ingredients in processed foods like soups may still contain additives like MSG or preservatives, and the term doesn’t exclude GMOs or irradiated foods. Always read labels carefully.
Choosing organic means fewer chemicals in your body, better-quality food, a healthier environment, and peace of mind. These are compelling reasons to buy organic whenever possible.
