Eating organically has its proponents and detractors. Those who back the trend toward organic foods say they are environmentally friendly and healthier than their nonorganic counterparts. Others, however, say there's not much difference between organic and conventionally grown foods. The take-aways here are that a fan of organic food may eat more fruits and vegetables than he would otherwise. But calories still count.
Features
A healthy organic diet looks a lot like a healthy conventional one. It is rich in fresh or flash-frozen fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, unsaturated fats and low- or nonfat dairy. To prevent weight gain, a balance of calories-in, calories-out should be maintained. Consumption of sugars, saturated fats and salt should be kept under control. The Institute of Medicine recommends that added sugars be kept to less than 25 percent of total daily calories. The American Heart Association says that saturated fat should make up less than 7 percent of daily calories. Sodium should be kept to 2,400 mg or less daily.
Misconceptions
Buying food with the organic seal does not make it healthy. An organic piece of cheesecake is still loaded with calories and fat, as are organic cookies, pies, chips and candy. Organic foods do not contain high fructose corn syrup or trans fats, but they still contain sugar and other fats, as well as calories. Reading food labels on snack foods and taking note of the label's recommended portion sizes can help keep a diet healthy.
Identifying Organic Food
Organically grown and produced food bears a label from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that went into effect in October 2002. Organic refers to a method of growing and processing fruits, vegetables, grains and animal products. Organic products have organic ingredients. Organic produce is grown with the help of natural fertilizers, natural pest control and crop rotation. Most chemical pesticides and herbicides are not permitted. Animals raised organically are allowed outdoors and fed organic food. They do not receive growth hormones or antibiotics.
Benefits
In addition to diminishing intake of potentially harmful chemicals and being kinder to the environment, organic foods may contain more nutrients and taste better than conventionally grown foods. A study published in "Plos One" on Sept. 1, 2010 found that organic strawberry farms produce fruit of a higher quality than conventional farms. In a review of scientific findings on organic products, French researcher Denis Lairon of the University of Aix-Marseille concluded that organic plant products contain more minerals, micronutrients and anti-oxidants than conventionally grown products, while organic animal products contain more polyunsaturated fatty acids. His work was commissioned by the French Agency for Food Safety.
Despite these findings, other research suggests that there is not necessarily a correlation between enhanced nutrition and organics. In a study published in a July 2009 issue of the"American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" researchers from the Nutrition and Public Health Intervention Research Unit and the Medical Statistics Unit at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine concluded after a review of 162 studies spanning over 50 years that there is no evidence of a difference in nutrient quality between organically and conventionally produced products. .
Budget Concerns
Organic products tend to cost more than their conventional counterparts. To keep costs under control and reduce pesticide exposure by four-fifths, the Environmental Working Group recommends buying 12 specific organic fruits and vegetables. These are celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, blueberries, nectarines, sweet bell peppers, spinach, cherries, kale and collard greens, potatoes and imported grapes. Pesticides permeate the skins of these fruits and vegetables when they are grown conventionally. Save money and purchase conventionally grown honeydew melon, grapefruit, watermelon, cantaloupe, eggplant, cabbage, kiwi, asparagus, frozen sweet peas, mango, pineapples, frozen sweet corn, avocados and onions.
References
- "PlosOne": Fruit and Soil Quality of Organic and Conventional Strawberry Agroecosystems; John P. Reganold et al; September 1, 2010
- Agronomy: Nutritional Quality and Safety of Organic Food. A Review; Denis Lairon; 2009
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition": Nutritional Quality of Organic Foods: A Systematic Review; Alan D Dangour, Sakhi K Dodhia, Arabella Hayter, Elizabeth Allen, Karen Lock and Ricardo Uauy;
- Environmental Working Group: Finding Healthier Food
- Center for Science in the Public Interest: Hallelujah! Organic Labeling Rules Take Effect
Member Comments