Nutrition 101 - Organic or not?

The benefits of organic food are just beginning to be understood. Organic produce contains fewer pesticides and often has more beneficial nutrients than their conventionally grown counterparts. People with allergies to foods, additives, or preservatives may notice their symptoms lessen or go away when they eat only organic foods.

What is organic?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has established an organic certification program that requires all organic food to meet strict government standards (Europe has much stricter rules, than even the United States). Organic refers to the way the farmer grows and processes the agricultural products. This includes fruits, vegetables, dairy products, grains and meats. They are not allowed to use synthetic fertilizer or sewage sludge for fertilizer (not even going to think about that). They are also prohibited from most synthetic pesticides and irradiation as a preservative or as a pesticide. They are also prohibited from using antibiotics or genetic engineering. The USDA makes an exception for producers who sell less than $5000 a year in organic foods. These producers must follow the guidelines for organic food production, but they do not need to go through the certification process. They can be labeled organic, but they may not use the official USDA Organic seal.

Do "organic" and "natural" mean the same thing?

The answer is no! The two are not interchangeable. In general, the word "natural" on a food label means that it has no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. It does not refer to the way it was produced. Other common food labels should not be confused with organic labels. For example, the guidelines for certified organic beef include animal access to a pasture for a minimum of an 120 day grazing season and no growth hormone. The labels "Free range" and "Hormone free," while must be truthful, do not indicate a farmer followed all the guidelines for organic certification.

"Made with organic" is a multi-ingredient product that has at least 70% certified organic ingredients. The label "organic ingredients" can have less than 70% certified organic ingredients.

IT IS SO CONFUSING!

Why is organic often better?

• Lower pesticide residue - as previously mentioned. This can reduce our exposure to toxic chemicals.

• More nutritious. Studies are starting to show that there is a small to moderate increase in some nutrients in organic produce, especially antioxidants. Antioxidants are substances that may protect your cells against free radicals, which may play a role in heart disease, cancer and other diseases.

• Organic dairy and meat may be healthier just because it was all raised without hormones. Additionally, organically raised animals are not given antibiotics or GMO (genetically modified) feed. Organic meat also has more Omega-3 fatty acids in it due to what the animals are fed.

• Organic farming reduces pollution, conserves water, reduces soil erosion and increases soil fertility.

• Personally, I also think organic foods taste better. I dare you to take a bite of an organic apple and then compare it to a bite of a conventionally grown apple. It is so much better! Especially, if you buy organic in season!

SO Now what?

We can see that organic has so many pluses, but it can be expensive. I would rather have someone eat a non-organic vegetable, than no vegetable at all. It is all a balancing act, especially with food so much higher in cost now.

If you are budget conscious, I love to give my patients the Environmental Working Group's list called the Dirty Dozen/Clean Fifteen. They come out with it every year about the same time. They just came out with the 2022 list this week. They choose the least contaminated conventionally grown fruits and vegetables (those that are okay to buy conventionally if you have to) and then point out the most contaminated versions (those that you should buy organic because of the high pesticide content).

Dirty 12 - should aim to buy organic!

1. Strawberries

2. Spinach

3. Kale, collard, and mustard greens

4. Nectarines

5. Apples

6. Grapes

7. Bell and hot peppers

8. Cherries

9. Peaches

10. Pears

11. Celery

12. Tomatoes

Clean 15 - okay to buy conventional if you have to!

1. Avocados

2. Sweet corn

3. Pineapple

4. Onions

5. Papaya

6. Sweet peas (frozen)

7. Honeydew melon

8. Kiwi

9. Cabbage

10. Mushrooms

11. Cantalope

12. Mushrooms

13. Mangos

14. Watermelon

15. Sweet potatoes

Go to their website — ewg.org/foodnews and you can get a printable list to cut out and have with you. I have one and take it to the grocery store. ( I know, I am a nerd!) It is card size and super handy to keep with your list. Knowledge is power!

I hope this helps clear up some of the confusion. If more people used organics, the prices would come down. They are already much more available and main stream, than they have been in the previous decades.

All material was gathered and researched through my amazing fellowship program, The Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine.

https://integrativemedicine.arizona.edu/

and

https://www.ifm.org

www.ewg.org

www.mayoclinic.org

www.USDA.gov