Learn all about the organic foods craze: what they are, where to get them and why they’re so good for you
Tracy Domingo
Assistant Living Editor
Amber Meissner
Staff Photographer
America’s food and diet is on a path of radical change. Find that hard to believe? Take a stroll into a McDonalds and you will now find “healthier” or “lighter” selections than that of the almighty, traditional Big-Mac-french-fry duo. In fact, in almost every fast food restaurant the menu has been revamped to reflect the establishment’s new passion to ensure that Americans are eating better and losing all those pounds for which we are notorious.
In the last few years, food and diet sensitivity have shot through the roof, spurring dozens of innovative diets and increasing the awareness of the well-known “you are what you eat” mantra. However, aside from weight loss and trendy diets that call for counting carbs or calories, thousands of people are taking “eating right” a step further by eating only organic foods certified by the United States Department of Agriculture.
Gone now are the days of smelly health-food organic grocery stores with clientele mainly consisting of hippies and psychics. What began as a somewhat underground movement has recently developed into a full-blown organic revolution. Last year alone, consumers spent well over $10 billion on organic foods and, according to a recent Los Angeles Times article, the organic industry has peaked as the fastest growing sector in agriculture.
So, what is all the hype about? What exactly is organic? With all the crazy jargon that is circulating within the health and diet realm it is sometimes hard to decode what being organic really means.
In October 2002, the National Organic Standards mandated by Congress were put into use and the USDA issued uniform standards requiring stringent certification requirements for all foods labeled “organic.” Now, in order for a food or fiber to be considered organic, its growth and processing must be done without the use of synthetic pesticides, fertilizers with synthetic ingredients, irradiation or genetically engineered foods or ingredients. Additionally, organic meats are derived from animals that have been fed only organic feed and the animals have never been treated with antibiotics or growth hormones.
Aside from just meats and produce, other labeled organic products are required to be composed of 95 percent organic ingredients and minimally processed in order to sustain the original make up of the food without any artificial additives or preservatives.
While many consumers will stake their life on the benefits of “going organic,” there has not been an authoritative study to date that substantiates the idea that organic food has more nutrients than conventionally grown food. Additionally, while conventionally grown food is monitored to ensure pesticide levels are not toxic, many assert that the added effects of consuming small amounts of numerous pesticides over the years could be highly damaging. However, this is a highly debated point among food specialists.
In a 2003 study, the Environmental Work Group assembled a list of the most pesticide contaminated fruits and vegetables and labeled them “the Dirty Dozen.” The study combined testing that analyzed how many pesticides were present on a specific product, the average amount of each pesticide on the product and the percent of the sample that tested positive for any pesticide. Consequently, this study encouraged consumers to buy organic in order to minimize the amount of pesticides that are regularly consumed.
Katherine McCune, a registered dietician at the Student Counseling Center, advises consumers to buy organic when they can.
“First of all make sure what you are eating is actually organic,” McCune said. “I think for the most part if it is possible to buy organic I would. It is a little more expensive, but if you can I would, especially when it comes to animal meats and certain foods like berries which are really hard to grow without pesticides.”
However, besides simply eating organic because of the danger of pesticides within the human body, organic farming itself is also seen as better for the environment and for the nation’s water supply. Thus, many environmentalists are jumping on the bandwagon to promote the “go organic” sentiment.
Not surprisingly, numerous books have been written on the subject of following a strict organic diet, such as “Organic Living in 10 Simple Lessons” by Karen Sullivan, “Organic Living: Simple Solutions for a Better Life,” by Lynda Brown and “The Food Revolution” by John Robbins, which have since generated avid followers of the new lifestyle.
As with most things that are related to health and wellness, organic foods typically leave your wallets a little lighter or your credit cards a little heavier, depending on your method of payment. Some may wonder why organic food is more expensive if fewer treatments are being added to it. One of the main reasons that organic food costs more than conventionally grown food is that the cost of labor is factored into the final sale price. In organic farming, labor is pricier because hands-on labor replaces the role of harsh chemicals to care for crops and animals. Additionally, because of the strict requirements that producers must follow in order to generate organic foodstuffs, precise and intensive management is necessary, which may increase the price even more.
Increasing demand in the organic industry is steadily closing the cost margin between conventional and organic foods. No longer do small organic grocers have a monopoly allowing outrageous prices in the organic sphere thanks to overwhelmingly popular grocery chains such as Whole Foods Market and Wild Oats Natural Marketplace. At the Whole Foods Market in Thousand Oaks, conventionally grown Golden Delicious apples are $1.49 a pound while organically grown Golden Delicious apples are $1.99 a pound, a difference of $.50.
“A problem I have with organic foods is the cost,” said Susie Detpmers-Smith another registered dietician at the Student Counseling Center. “If the cost effects how much you can buy of these products than eating organic is probably not right for you. But if you think that organic foods have more flavor, then by all means buy organic. Anything that will get people to eat more fruits and vegetables is always good.”
Visiting any organic grocery store reveals that besides merely a way of eating, the organic lifestyle has spilled over into many other areas of culture. Numerous fashion designers, including Giorgio Armani, have recently begun using organic fabrics when designing clothes.
Cosmetics, household products and even toiletries are now sold under the organic label and many speculate that consumers will be able to buy an organic version of almost all products in the near future.
While the American diet continues to move and change with the times, intense scientific study will continue validating or discrediting the various claims associated with organic food and products. In the meantime, the organic revolution is in full force and it does not look like it will slow down anytime soon.
09-09-2004