Organic Food – Yea or Nay?

3 Comments

The term organic shopper helps develop a picture of a consumer who appears to be more in the know about what’s best for their bodies and what isn’t.  But are those who purchase organic foods better off than those who don’t? Maybe not.  Consumer Affairs

Some people (or maybe it’s just me) envision the Organic Shopper as a hippie in hemp sandals and a tie-dye T-shirt. But the truth is that a LOT of people – from every stripe of life – are concerned about bacteria, pesticides and antibiotics in their meat and produce. So they have gone organic in their shopping habits and, for the most part, don’t mind paying a little extra for the peace of mind.

But are they really seeing the benefits? This study is unconvinced.

Twelve Stanford University researchers examined 240 studies on organic foods that were previously conducted between 1996 and 2011. The goal of the researchers was to determine the true differences between conventional foods and organic, in terms of nutrient levels and the amount of contaminants. Consumer Affairs

The good news is that there ARE fewer pesticides present in organic foods. 7% of organic foods had some trace of pesticide, compared to 28% of non-organic foods. BUT…all foods tested were within government safety standards.  Also, they found no big difference in the levels of vitamins A, C and E between the two.

What’s the takeaway? Well, some people just want their organic food, don’t mind paying for it, and that’s cool. But if you are somebody – like many of us – who has to keep tightening their belt month after month but you are still concerned about the safety of your food, non-organic seems to be a safe way to go.

There’s more at the original article, so check it out. And have a great weekend!

(photo: american.com)

3 thoughts on “Organic Food – Yea or Nay?”

  1. I don’t see the benefit for organic considering the price. I saw a news clip that when they compared organic to non-organic there is a tradeoff. You get less pesticides with organic but you have more e-coli, salmonella, etc….so, guess you get to “pick your poison?”

  2. I believe that there are benefits to the organic foods including the lack of steroids available in the meats. I believe this is an overwhelming contributor to the causes of obesity in the U.S. as far as the bacteria present on organic foods, if they are cleaned and cooked properly, they will not be an issue. The chemicals present in non-organic foods cannot be cooked or washed away. Organic is always better in my opinion.

Comments are closed.