Organic vs. Conventional Food

Imagine you're standing in a grocery store in the produce section. You're eyeing the sweet, juicy apples. You reach for the Organic apples, and although you paid an extra $1 per pound, you feel that you've made a healthier choice. But, is buying Organic really the healthier choice? It's a debate that's been raging in recent years with proponents on either side.

What does Organic mean?

"Organic" is a protected term set by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Products cannot be called "organic" without meeting the USDA guidelines. This is difficult and expensive to achieve. According to the USDA, "produce can be called organic if it's certified to have grown on soil that had no prohibited substances applied for 3 years prior to harvest. Prohibited substances include most synthetic fertilizers and pesticides." For meat, "regulations require that animals are raised in living conditions accommodating their natural behaviors (like the ability to graze on pasture), fed 100% organic feed and forage, and not administered antibiotics or hormones." Farms are inspected yearly and the inspection is very rigorous.

Despite common belief, there are prohibited substances for Organic farms, but also synthetic substances like certain herbicides, insecticides, and other treatments that are allowed on Organic produce. The USDA has a specific list that can be found on their website. Animals may not receive antibiotics but they can receive vaccinations.

Is Organic nutritionally better?

A recent study conducted by Stanford University in 2012, examined thousands of research papers and identified 237 that were relevant. After analyzing the data, the researchers found little significant difference in health benefits between organic and conventional produce. There were no consistent differences in vitamin content of organic products. Only one nutrient, phosphorus, was significantly higher in organic produce. The researchers noted that because few people suffer from a phosphorus deficiency, that this finding had little clinical significance. There was no difference in protein or fat content between organic and conventional milk, although there was some evidence from a few studies that suggested that organic milk may have higher levels of Omega-3 fatty acids. The researchers were also unable to identify specific fruits or vegetables that were consistently healthier when purchased organic.

What about pesticides?

Pesticides are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), who sets the acceptable levels that are safe for consumption. Pesticides are added to produce to protect it from bugs and to improve shelf life. This same review conducted by Stanford found scant evidence to suggest that conventional foods posed a greater health risk than organic products did. They found that organic produce had a 30 percent lower risk of pesticide contamination, but this did not mean that they were necessarily 100 percent free of pesticides. In addition, the researchers noted that the pesticide levels of all of the foods fell within the allowable safety limits. They did find, however, that organic chicken and pork appeared to reduce the exposure to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, but the clinical significance of this is unclear.

For those that are still concerned about pesticides exposure, there is a calculator from Safe Fruits and Veggies that shows you just how much of something you could eat before having negative effects from the pesticides. For example, "a woman could eat 1071 servings of pear in one day without any effect even if the pears have the highest residue recorded for pears by the USDA." "A man could consume 2640 servings of strawberries in one day without any effect even if the strawberries have the highest pesticide residue recorded for strawberries by the USDA."

For those that have concern about pesticide exposure, there is the Clean 15 and the Dirty Dozen lists that can guide purchasing decisions. You might note that the dirty dozen are usually produce that you eat whole without peeling and are usually close to the ground or directly sprayed.

How can I keep my produce safer?

Regardless of if you buy organic or conventional, you can take steps to keep your produce safer. Produce should be washed thoroughly under running water, just before cooking or eating, using a scrub brush. Cut away damaged or bruised areas. If you buy lettuce or greens in a bundle, toss the outer layer and wash the inside.

There are many reasons to buy Organic other than supposed nutritional value - taste preference, concerns about effects of conventional farming on the environment, and animal welfare and treatment. Regardless of how produce is purchases, eating fruits and vegetables is still important. They contain many nutrients that help protect against diseases. It is more important to consume these regardless of how they are farmed.

Remember: Organic is a certification of agricultural practices, not nutritional superiority.

Resources:

1) McEvoy M. "Organic 101: What the USDA Organic Label Means." USDA website. Available at: http://blogs.usda.gov/2012/03/22/organic-101-what-the-usda-organic-label-means/. Published March 22, 2012. Accessed May 16, 2016.

2) Porrazza F. "Conventional vs. Organic Produce. " Nutrition at Your Fingertips! blog. Available at: http://nutritionatyourfingertips.blogspot.com/2016/03/conventional-vs-organic-produce.html. Published March 8, 2016. Accessed May 16, 2016.

3) Brandt M. "Little evidence of health benefits from organic foods, study finds." Stanford Medicine. Available at: https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2012/09/little-evidence-of-health-benefits-from-organic-foods-study-finds.html. Published September 3, 2012. Accessed May 26, 2016.

4) "Pesticide Residue Calculator." SafeFruitsandVeggies.com. Available at: http://www.safefruitsandveggies.com/pesticide-calculator#. Accessed May 16, 2016.

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