The question of whether organic food is really a better alternative to its counterparts is a pervasive one. Many people would simply answer with ‘No’ or ‘I don’t know’. Said question has created much conversation over the past decade, sparking many arguments and driving many studies. Unfortunately, not many people are sufficiently educated on the expansive topic of organic food and are therefore more drawn to genetically modified food simply because of its availability and lower price tag. Despite the status quo, it’s time people to start paying more attention to the details around genetically modified food, as genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in our food are beginning to take a severe toll on the health of all its consumers. Said toll can be avoided with a consumer switch to organic food on a larger scale. Organic food has been scientifically proven to be better than genetically modified food in a number of ways that the general public has yet to see.
What constitutes organic food is another issue of which many people do not entirely understand. A lot of people blindly give into pressure from others and buy organic food simply under the guise of it being ‘better’ without knowing what it actually is. Organically grown crops are grown in farms without the usage or spray of any chemicals, pesticides, or fertilizers, making them more natural and ultimately cleaner (DeCostole, 2018). Organically raised livestock and poultry are raised in farms without any type of hormones or antibiotics and are often also fed organic harvests (DeCostole, 2018). This is why some produce is labelled with ‘Organically raised and fed’; said labels help assure consumers that their food is completely free of any toxins and chemicals. Additionally, farms that do decide to grow any type of organic crop or produce are required to follow very strict guidelines and protocols set by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Such guidelines include the type of soil the crops are grown in, how clean the water used to water the plants is, and how many animals can be kept in one unit (Mayo Clinic, 2018). These guidelines ultimately ensure that organic foods are of higher quality.
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One of the main and most apparent advantages of organically grown food is the lack of any pesticides, fertilizers, hormones, or antibiotics. Many studies were performed on the effect of pesticides on humans, which proved these pesticides harmful. One of these studies, which was performed by the Mayo Clinic, has even linked pesticides in our food to everything from headaches, cancer, and birth defects (Mayo Clinic, 2018). However, another study performed by the Californians for Pesticide Reform has stated that although pesticides do pose some risk on human adults’ bodies; this risk isn’t that significant on the majority of health adults, but becomes more apparent when it comes to children, infants, and pregnant mothers (Californians for Pesticide Reform). Organic food avoids all of these pesticides, and by extension, all their subsequent risks. Organically grown food has no pesticide residue at all, allowing consumers to be sure of what’s going into their food when buying it.
Another reason people should be investing more money into organically grown crops is their abundance of antioxidants compared to conventional fruits and vegetables. A study performed by researchers at Stanford University showed that organic fruits and vegetables contained up to 40% more antioxidants than conventionally grown crops (Brandt, 2012). In said study, one of the researchers stated: “These antioxidant compounds, which go by names like flavonoids and carotenoids, are getting a lot of attention lately. Their effects remain somewhat murky, but scientists say they can protect cells from the effects of aging, or from the sort of damage that can lead to cancer”. One of the main reasons people are advised to consume fruits and vegetables by health experts is to try and take in as many antioxidants as possible, and since organically grown crops contain a lot of these, they are far superior to conventionally grown crops. The reason organic crops have more antioxidants is mainly because they are not given any fertilizers, which in turn gives them more time to grow. Conversely, crops that are given fertilizers usually have their nutrients ‘diluted’ since they grow a lot in a short amount of time (Charles, 2014).
One of the main reasons a lot of people stray away from purchasing organically grown crops and produce is because of the hefty price tag that sometimes comes along with these types of products. Due to the many strict protocols and guidelines that the USDA enforces on all organic farm owners, the cost of growing these fruits and vegetables is higher than that of conventionally grown food, as the quality of produce and living conditions of livestock typically require more money. Fortunately, the prices of organic foods have gone down in recent years; however, farmers’ markets typically provide the easiest access to affordable organic food nearby, LocalHarvest.org is a valuable tool for finding nearby farmers’ markets in search of lower priced produce. If one cannot afford to go completely organic, then they should definitely at least consider organic produce purchasing these twelve items: peaches, strawberries, nectarines, apples, spinach, celery, pears, sweet bell peppers, cherries, potatoes, lettuce, and imported grapes. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) refers to these fruits and vegetables as the ‘dirty dozen’. The reason they advise consumers to go organic when it comes to these crops is because they are fragile when compared to heartier fruits and vegetables, and therefore require more pesticides to fight off bugs (DeCostole, 2018). Heartier crops, such as potatoes and asparagus, are more resistant to insects and therefore require less pesticides (DeCostole, 2018). Due to their vulnerability to insects, the twelve aforementioned fruits and vegetables would most likely have a higher amount of pesticide residue, which makes them potentially more harmful.
Conclusion
Despite the countless arguments in favor of organically grown food, many people still feel compelled to buy conventionally grown food due to its relatively advantageous availability and cost. However, I feel like it’s about time change is made to that. The USDA should be promoting the health benefits of organic produce to everyone, as not a lot of people are educated on this often confusing topic, and it’s time that changed. The USDA should also provide financial assistance to farm owners somehow in order to ease the costs of growing organic crops and raising animals organically, to make organic goods easier to produce and therefore cheaper. I personally believe in spending a tad more money to benefit myself and my health, rather than ending up spending a far greater amount later in my life in order to fix damage I could have prevented.
Works Cited
- DeCostole, Jessica. “5 Things You Should Know About Organic Food”. Redbook, Redbook, 5 Nov. 2018, https://www.redbookmag.com/body/healthy-eating/a2016/truth-about-organic-foods/
- “Are Organic Foods Worth the Price?”. Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 4 Apr. 2018, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/organic-food/art-20043880
- “Pesticides & Human Health”. Californians for Pesticide Reform, https://www.pesticidereform.org/pesticides-human-health/
- Charles, Dan. “Are Organic Vegetables More Nutritious After All?”. NPR, NPR, 11 July 2014, https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2014/07/11/330760923/are-organic-vegetables-more-nutritious-after-all
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