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6
Myths About Organic Food
All organics aren't created equal.
Here's what's hidden behind the label.
WebMD Feature from "Marie Claire" Magazine
By Sarah Z. Wexler
WebMD Health News
MYTH #1: ORGANIC FOOD
IS ALWAYS BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
Organics don't contaminate soil and groundwater with
pesticides and chemicals like regular farming does,
but there's a surprising downside: Since organic
farming is only about half as productive as
conventional farming, it requires far more land to
produce the same amount of food.
Dennis Avery of the Hudson Institute's Center for
Global Food Issues estimates that modern high-yield
farming has saved 15 million square miles of
wildlife habitat, and that if the world switched to
organic farming, we'd need to cut down 10 million
square miles of forest. Less-productive farming
could also lead to even less food for the world's
undernourished.
MYTH #2: IT'S MORE
NUTRITIOUS
Studies keep flip-flopping on this: One found more
vitamin C in organic tomatoes than in conventional
ones; another found more cancer-fighting flavonoids
in organic corn and strawberries.
But
other studies haven't found organics to have a
nutritional edge. What makes the biggest difference
in nutrients is how long produce sits on the shelf.
Spinach, for instance, loses about half of its
foliate within a week.
MYTH #3: IT TASTES
BETTER
Nobody has been able to tell the difference except
in one study of apples, where organics came out
ahead.
To
get raspberries that taste raspberrier, buy produce
that's locally grown, is in season, and hasn't been
sitting on the shelf too long. Let's face it:
Nothing is at its best when it's flown halfway
around the world and waxed, then has to spend a week
in the grocery store.
MYTH #4: YOU DON'T
HAVE TO BE AS CAREFUL ABOUT WASHING IT
All
produce, whether purchased from a grocery megachain
or your local organic farm, is susceptible to nasty
bacteria, such as E. coli (the news-maker that's
also been known to kill people).
Soil
and runoff water that's contaminated with E.
coli-harboring animal poop can get onto produce —
particularly melons, lettuce, sprouts, tomatoes,
spinach, and green onions, since they grow close to
the ground.
Your
best defense: Wash everything thoroughly under
running water.
MYTH #5: YOU'RE
SUPPORTING SMALL FARMS OR ECO-COMPANIES
General Mills owns the Cascadian Farms brand, Kraft
owns Back to Nature and Boca Burger, and Kellogg's
owns Morningstar Farms, to name a few conglomerates
basking in organics' glow (and dough). And with such
high demand (in the past year, the market for
organic milk outstripped the supply by 10 percent),
these giant companies are importing organic
ingredients as cheaply as possible — often from
other countries.
Whole Foods sold roughly $1 billion in produce last
year; only about 16 percent was locally grown. So
with all the CO2 spent in transport, some organics
have questionable eco-virtues.
MYTH #6: IT'S BETTER
FOR YOU
Not
if it's organic chips, organic soda, or organic
cookies. Cane sugar is still sugar and fried chips
are still fried, no matter what kind of compost was
or wasn't heaped onto the potatoes. Sorry!
What is good is about organic food:
It's more humane.
Much
of the country's organic milk and meat comes from
small farms, where animals are often given more
space to roam than those at larger factory farms.
It
may reduce your risk of getting Mad Cow Disease
Organic meat can't have any animal by-products in
its feed, which is a primary contributor to mad-cow
disease.
It's getting easier
Companies like Kellogg's and Kraft are rolling out
organic versions of their cereals and mac and
cheese, so it's hassle-free to convince kids and
boyfriends to eat it. And with discount superchains
like Wal-Mart (the country's number-one seller of
organic milk) slashing the organic markup to 10
percent (it's usually 20 to 30 percent), organics
aren't just for the Whole Foods elite.
How "organic" is it?
Products labeled "organic" must consist of 95
percent organically produced ingredients, but
products that contain only 70 percent organic
ingredients can use the phrase "Made with organic
ingredients." Read carefully.
©
WebMD. All rights reserved.
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"if the world switched to organic farming,
we'd need to cut down 10 million square miles of
forest." |
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