Is organic food better for you?

[FabianPattberg]

Hello everyone!

I would like to kick of the discussion on this section with the question which is wildly discussed everywhere:

Is eating organic food really better for you? And if so, would you buy organic food if you had the choice even though it might be more expensive?

I am interested in your views and experiences as I am an organic food fanatic!

Fabian

[Martin]

This is a bit of a generalisation but organic foods do tend to contain lower levels of toxins yet contain the same nutritional levels, so in essence they are 'less bad' for you.

There are perfectly valid arguements both for and against wholesale organic farming ranging from biodiversity benefits to greater land use requirements so the organic arguement is far from clear cut.

Whilst for an overpopulated Earth an all organic approach may never be deliverable, I still tend to buy organic produce in preference to non-organic given the choice, much to my more frugal girlfriend's disgust!

[Chris Mason]

There was an interesting piece in the economist about this called Good Food? (Dec 9th 2006) - i've got the pdf, but its too big to put on the forum :(

In terms of human health, trials have shown there's more omega3 in organic milk, but as far as I know thats the only proof so far.

It's a tricky one isn't it?! I'm too poor to eat so it doesn't bother me - give me another mouthful of that tasty tasty air any day!

yum.

[wongoz]

I do think that, health-wise, organic food is better for you than large-scale agricultural produce, and I firmly believe it tastes better, but the debate doesn't necessarily revolve around those issues.

I think it has more to do with whether the 'local and organic' movement(s) are a veiled form of protectionism, and the larger issue of being able to feed the whole world.

[Sea Breeze]

I would always buy organic over non organic. I grow organically to avoid extra unwanted chemicals in our diet. I would also try to buy food that is locally produced and has less carbon miles attached to it.

[Rebecca]

Unfortunately many times it is a choice between "organic" and "local". IMO, the majority of organic food is not local and therefore is often less fresh as it has been hauled a long way. There has been a lot of press on this exact issue here in the states recently. Here is just one example.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16035031/

For my farm, I refuse to attach the organic label. Organic can mean allowing an animal to suffer because you cannot give him or her the necessary medicine. I provide my animals with plenty of space, fresh air and allow them to live life as naturally as possible so I call my farm "beyond organic". In actuality, I have never had to give my animals any medicines and all the purchased food I have to buy is considered organic as well as the fresh eggs, dairy and produce that I personally produce.

I would prefer to buy pork from somebody who has humanely raised a pig allowing him to follow his natural instincts to root and be in the sunshine than an organic mega farmer who has never allowed his pigs off concrete their entire short life.

Rebecca

[sniperheartz]

Yes, I love organic but for me the price is still some problem though.
My doctor advice me to eat it often since my body grow weak.

(Anyway sorry my english was not so good.)

[Martin]

Keep up the good work Rebecca (not that i eat meat, but if i did i'd be happy to buys yours)!

[Rebecca]

Martin, that is a very kind comment-much thanks.
Rebecca

[bobirving]

We buy organic food almost all the time. Fortunately we have an organic farmshop almost on our doorstep, so it's dead easy and creates much fewer food miles. We're lucky!

I think that the arguments in favour of organic food are as follows:
it contains less (or no) pesticides, reducing the build-up in the body;
organic growing is more sustainable since there is no input of petro-chemical fertilisers and the natural fertility of the soil is maintained - some conventional farms run on little better than hydroponics. The argument that you cannot feed the world from organic farming is wrong - sooner or later we will have to, when the oil runs out;

organic farming protects biodiversity.