What’s all this talk about “organic” fruits and vegetables I keep hearing about?
Recent studies have shown fruits/vegetables that have been grown using organic methods are better for your health because they contain less pesticide residue. However, there is no conclusive evidence that they are tastier or more nutritious.
So what is “organic”?
As technology advances, farmers are using more advanced methods for farming. They use pesticides, synthetic (aka man-made) fertilizers, genetically modified fruit/vegetable strains, radiation to kill bacteria, etc in their farming methods in an attempt to increa$e farm yield, reduce labor, increa$e vegetable $ize, prevent crop de$truction from di$ease and pe$ts, etc.
On the other hand, “organic” farming is basically using methods that are more natural. This means no chemicals, no pesticides, no radiation, etc. Mainly just using soil, water, and lots of hard labor. The USDA has a list of strict guidelines that farmers must adhere to in order to be certified as organic.
Another way to think about organic farming is to imagine how the cavemen would grow vegetables. If you suck with imagination skills then view the picture below. It is an actual copy of a caveman painting from an ancient Farmers Market depicting their organic farming methods!
Original caveman drawing of organic farming
How can I tell if the fruit/vegetables I buy are organic?
The USDA is now regulating the “organic” seal so if you see it then you can feel a little safer knowing that it’s not just marketing BS (unlike other label claims… this article to come later).
Look for one of these labels to see if it’s organic:
Offical USDA seal for Organic products in the US
You may see these classifications as well…
- 100% Organic: Made with 100% organic ingredients.
- Organic: Made with at least 95% organic ingredients.
- Made With Organic Ingredients: Made with a minimum of 70% organic ingredients with strict restrictions on the remaining 30% including no GMOs (genetically modified organisms)
- Products with less than 70% organic ingredients may list organically produced ingredients on the side panel of the package but may not make any organic claims on the front of the package.
Does organic food cost more?
Generally yes. Instead of using methods that save time and labor (i.e. pesticides, radiation) organic farmers generally must use more labor-intensive methods.
However, some organic fruits/vegetables cost about the same or even less than their non-organic counterparts. And as organic foods become more popular, farmers can begin to increase their size and yields and take advantage of economies of scale which would decrease costs.
Are organic fruits/vegetables healthier?
Yes. Organic fruit and vegetables will have lower pesticide residue. Probably a good idea if your babies eat less pesticides.
Do organic fruits/vegetables taste better?
Some people say yes. Some say no. You decide.
Are organic fruits/vegetables more nutritious?
There has been no conclusive evidence on this yet.
Can I just wash the pesticide off?
No, some residue will still remain.
What if I wash them really well?
OMFG… just buy organic you cheap bastard.
Should I buy only organic fruits and vegetables from now on?
It’s up to you but good advice would be to purchase organic versions of the dirtiest fruits/vegetables with the most pesticide residue. Studies say if you purchase organic versions of the top 12 dirtiest you will have decreased your pesticide intake by up to 80%.
Which should I buy organic?
Below is a list of the dirtiest and cleanest fruits/vegetables. You should buy organic versions of the dirtiest. The cleanest ones you can purchase non-organic to save time and money. With all that extra money you can put it in the bank send it to me!
You should be cool like Daddy and laminate this picture and tape it to your fridge or keep in your wallet. Or don’t… if you wanna be gay.
Below is a list showing which fruits/vegetables have the most/least pesticide residue. This list was compiled by Environmental Working Group using studies from the USDA. So if they’re wrong, blame them not me.
Peaches are the winner (therefore the loser) of having the most pesticide residue and given a score of 100. The rest are calibrated from there. Please note this list does not contain all the fruits and vegetables that exist… it only includes the more popular ones. If your favorite fruit/vegetable is not on this list then you probably eat weird stuff.
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Thank you so much for this list. I’ll put it on my fridge
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I didn’t mean to imply that Daddy has already made a firm decision. I just meant to say that Daddy has made up his mind based on the research that is presently available as well as from using common sense.
Daddy’s decision that eating organic is healthier (due to the absence of pesticides) and his decision to only eat organic versions of the 12 dirtiest vegetables is based on:
1. current research
2. current recommendations by USDA
3. common sense that less pesticide intake is “probably” better for the health of children and fetuses. (The impact of eating pesticides in adults is probably much less severe)
If future research comes out that says organic is not healthier then Daddy will change his stance. But the new research must come from reputable sources that do not make their $ from non-organic farming. The new research must also be reproduceable as well as corroborated by other reputable sources. In other words the new research should be from respectable sources that do not make $ from non-organic farming and also follow the steps of the scientific method.
Please keep in mind that Daddy feels it’s worth the extra cost and extra hunting to get organic vegetables for me (the unborn baby) based on some research as well as common sense AND to “just play it safe”. Daddy doesn’t think adults should pay a lot of extra $ and spend extra time finding organic veges but for nborn babies and small children it may be worth the cost since babies are more suspectible to negative effects.
To say that the only reason organic is not viewed as healthier because there has not been enough long term studies and politicians having been paid off implies that you have already made your decision, don’t actually care to see the results of future studies, and will probably ignore them if its found that they are not healthier than non-organic foods.
I’m not ignorant to the fact that American companies care more about money than they do about any regard to human health. But, there’s a difference between feeling something is healthier than science proving something is healthier. Nothing has been proven yet. Yes, some studies have shown that organic is safer. But, like I said before, I can find just as many studies that found organic is no more safe than non-organic.
Maybe you will be right and in the long run it will be found to be healthier. I’m not saying I disagree totally. But, at this point, I think its more opinion than fact.
When I said organic is “healthier” I stated that it is due to lower pesticide residue. I was not saying it was healthier in the sense that it has a higher concentration of vitamins. Not sure if you were taking the “vitamin” route.
It isn’t deemed “definitive” yet only because not enough long-term studies have been done. In the future we’ll have more data to look at but for now you’ll have to decide for yourself if organic is worth it.
Regarding the “labels”, just because something does not have a danger label does not mean it’s safe. It could be for many reasons including: pro non-organic groups paying politicians off, not enough definitive data to rule one way vs the other, big corporations with big $ to spend on advertising campaigns saying organic is not better, etc. Just look at cigarettes. Cigarettes are deadly. Very deadly. And yet look how long it took people, the courts, and big tobacco to realize/admit they’re dangerous. In the end though I doubt there will ever be a large enough push for organic vs non-organic research to be done to make a final decision because not enough will people will die from eating non-organic to justify a public outcry.
I disagree. I guarantee you I can find just as many studies showing organic is no healthier than you can saying the opposite. If it was really that definitive, or if conventional farming was really that unhealthy, it wouldn’t be so widespread or there would be labels on them like cigarettes.