What is Organic Foods

The USDA currently has a program for certifying organic foods. On their website, they answer the question, "What is organic food?" in this way:

Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled "organic," a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.

It is my position that organically grown foods offer Americans a healthier alternative to conventionally grown foods. So let's examine the evidence for organic food.

On August 22, 2002, Dr. Erik Steen Kristensen of the Danish Research Centre for Organic Farming presented data on food safety from an organic perspective at the 14th International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements Congress in Victoria, Canada. Dr. Kristensen offered the following reason's to consider organic foods:

* Discovery of animals with BSE
* Bovine spongiform encephalopathy, aka, mad cow disease
* Increased occurrence of Salmonella in meat and eggs
* Increased occurrence of campylobacter in meat
* Listeria in dairy products
* Increased occurrence of dioxin in food and fodder
* Too high amounts of pesticides, antibiotics, additives etc. in food * Toxic fungi in food from stocks

Indeed, various data indicates that compared to conventionally grown produce, organically grown produce has:

* Higher vitamin C levels
* Lower nitrate levels (less carcinogenic potential)
* Higher phenol levels (protection against cancer and cardiovascular disease)
* Lower levels of heavy metals
* Lower or zero levels of food additives (less food intolerance and carcinogenic potential)

Likewise, Dr. Kristensen presented data indicating that compared to conventional animal foods (e.g. meat), organic animal foods have:

* Higher levels of conjugated linoleic acid or CLA (preventive against cancer and arteriosclerosis)
* Higher levels of vitamin C
* Higher levels of fat-soluble vitamins
* Higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids
* Zero myotoxins (less potential problems for liver, kidney, nervous system)
* Lower residues of medicines (less transfer of resistance genes to human pathogens)

In addition, animal studies show higher fertility and less morbidity in animals fed organically. Furthermore, when given a choice, animals prefer organic to conventionally produced fodder. At this point, however, similar studies have not been conducted on humans.

Collectively, all of this data makes a pretty good case for recommending that the public make organic foods choices whenever possible, especially when trying to detoxify and avoid additional sources of toxins.