Organic Vs Non-Organic
From produce to packaged foods, from meat and dairy products, to supplements, organic foods have become increasingly available. However, with the Organic label comes a higher price. Then there are labels such as Natural, Non-GMO, Certified Humane, Raised without Antibiotics, Cage-free, Grass fed, Fair-Trade, Pastured, Sustainable, the list can go on and on and make anyone dizzy.
Are organic products healthier? How much healthier? Are there different kinds of organic? What about those other labels: do they mean anything or are they just marketing?
My goal is to help make all of this a bit easier to understand, so you can know what you’re getting yourself into the next time you see these labels.
Let’s Start with Organic:
What does Organic mean, and who decides this?
First, let’s look at the USDA definition of organic as this is the label you will see most often in your grocery store.
Organic foods with the USDA label on them have been grown and processed using specific methods. “These methods integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used.” (1)
Let’s break that down a bit.
For produce, no unapproved substances can be used on the land for 3 years prior to use of the Organic label. Crops must be rotated, use of cover crops must be used to preserve soil, and the soil must be supplemented with animal and green manure (green manure is fallen and dead plant material left to decompose on site). Only approved pesticides may be used and only when physical pest reduction strategies have failed. Organic seeds must be used. Genetic engineering, ionizing radiation, and sewage sludge cannot be used on crops.
For livestock and poultry, animals must be raised using organic standards from the second day of life on for birds and from the last trimester on for other animals. 100% organic feed must be given. Supplements, that are not organic, are allowed. Dairy animals must be raised organically for at least 12 months before milk can be labeled organic. Certain medications cannot be used to treat sick animals and still allow their products to be labeled as organic, and treatment cannot be withheld when needed. Cows and other grazing animals must be allowed to graze at least 120 days a year, and ⅓ of their feed must be from pasture plants. All animals must have access to the outdoors year round. Organic animals must never be given hormones to boost growth nor antibiotics for any reason.
Any of the practices that are prohibited for organic foods are allowed for non-organic foods. Mmmm sewage sludge spinach anyone?
Now, let’s look at the different types of organic labels you may see.
USDA Organic Seal - 100% of the contents of the food were raised and processed using USDA Organic standards.
USDA Organic label - 95% of the contents of the food were raised and processed using USDA Organic standards.
Made with Organic Ingredients - 70% of the contents of the food were raised and processed using USDA Organic standards.
Oregon Tilth, Washington Tilth, etc - local organic certification boards that work with the USDA. Each non-profit organization has their own standards which usually include equity, best practices for the region, biodiversity minimum standards, and more.
Is Organic Healthier?
The Mayo Clinic staff summarizes the benefits of organic foods as: (2)
Less pesticide residue
Having a higher nutrient content
Less cadmium exposure in grains
Fewer antibiotic resistant bacteria
Having more anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids in meat, dairy, and eggs
As you can see, organic foods have stricter requirements and are more about what isn’t in food rather than what is. With pesticide exposure being strongly associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (3), damage to DNA resulting in disease among children (4), thyroid cancer (5), and other ill effects, limiting daily exposure seems like a great idea.
Heart disease and cancer are the top causes of death in the U.S.; anything we can do to lower our risk of these two diseases is important. (6)
In a systematic review of the available research, “ [s]ignificant positive outcomes were seen in longitudinal studies where increased organic intake was associated with reduced incidence of infertility, birth defects, allergic sensitization, otitis media, pre-eclampsia, metabolic syndrome, high BMI, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.” (7)
Cadmium is a heavy metal with known toxicity. The most frequent cause of cadmium exposure is cigarette smoking. Exposure to cadmium can result in kidney damage, weakening of bones, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other damaging health effects. (8)
Looking at the omega-3 fatty acid claim, another systematic review of the available science showed organic meats to have on average 47% more omega-3 fatty acids than conventionally raised meats. (9) Furthermore, in another review by the same team, they found more omega-3 fatty acids, more iron, and more vitamin E in organic milk than conventional milk. (10) This is important as omega-3 fatty acids are linked to better outcomes in cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, dementia, depression, visual and neurological development, and maternal and child health. (11)
Antibiotics are considered a medical miracle due to the number of lives they have saved. However, resistance to antibiotics has been increasing in bacteria. This has resulted in MRSA and other once easily treated infections becoming deadly. The problem has become so common that it has been identified as a global crisis. (12)
Other labels:
Let’s take a look at some other food labels and their meanings:
Natural, Sustainable, Healthy
These labels have no definition and are not monitored. They are marketing ploys. The FDA has been asked to address this issue, but as of this writing no ruling has been made. (13)
Cage-Free:
Hens are held in indoor facilities with constant access to food and water and are not inside cages. They are, however, warehoused in crowded indoor communities in their own waste. (14)
Free-Range:
Animals have constant access to food and water and the outdoors. Note, this is a requirement for the organic label. (14)
Grass-Fed:
Ruminant animals (cows, bison, sheep, goats, etc) are fed non-grain feed for the entirety of their growing season and have access to the outdoors. (15) You may also see a grass-finished label which would mean that the animals were fed non-grain feed in the period between their growth and slaughter. This isn’t a regulated label, but it is a common practice to feed animals grain in the period before they are killed for harvest.
Fair Trade:
A label (and series of labels) meant to signify trade practices with the aim to help support local farmers and food producers earning fair wages and working conditions. (16) There is controversy regarding this labeling system, and you will see many different labels, some specific to certain products, such as Slave-Free when it comes to chocolate.
Non-GMO:
The product doesn’t contain genetically modified organisms. Note, this is a requirement for the organic label.
Certified Humane:
A certification system meant to ensure animals raised for food are done so in the most humane way possible. From the website: “The Humane Farm Animal Care Standards incorporate scientific research, veterinary advice, and the practical experience of farmers. Leading animal scientists, veterinarians, and producers worked with Humane Farm Animal Care to develop the Animal Care Standards for humane farming and continue to work with Humane Farm Animal Care to continually review new information pertaining to improving the lives of farm animals.” All of their standards are published and freely available on their website. (17)
Local Food
There is yet another aspect of food production that we must consider: how far food had to travel to reach our plates. Simply put, to get the most food to the most people the fastest for the least amount of money, our capitalistic system has designed a staggeringly complex and at times confusing web. Chickens grown in the U.S. in giant factories are slaughtered and then sent overseas for processing or shipped to large meat processing plants in other states. Fresh fruits and vegetables found in your grocery store may have traveled from Chile, thousands of miles away. This leaves a large footprint, to say the least.
But what about the quality of foods that travel this far? Once harvested, the nutrient content of our foods begins to fall. Vitamin C and other more fragile nutrients may be barely present in these foods. Heat, light, and oxygen all start to break down vitamins and turn fats rancid. (18)
The less time spent between food coming out of the fields or animals, the better nutrition we are putting in our bodies. Also, the less damage we are doing to our environment. On a positive note, when we purchase from local farmers, we support these small businesses in our community. Through Community Supported Agriculture memberships (CSAs), local farmers markets, and smaller grocery stores, we can support farmers in our own communities.
Gardening is also a fantastic way to reduce stress and express our creativity while getting more in touch with the weather and environment of our localities. We can even share excess produce helping those in our community without access to a garden of their own.
In our kitchen windows, we can re-plant the often discarded bottoms of lettuce, celery, green onions, and other plants to create a mini window garden. Many culinary herbs like basil, thyme, lemon balm, mint, oregano, and parsley do well in pots. And, easiest of all, you can sprout seeds and sprinkle them on your salads and other dishes for a fresh, vibrant, and nutrient packed addition.
Stewardship and Voting With Our Dollars:
As you can see, there are ample health reasons to choose organic and local foods when feeding ourselves and our loved ones. This is important, but it is only part of the picture.
There is another, perhaps for some, more powerful reason to make these choices and that involves our responsibility to our planet and each other.
It’s not hard to find examples of farm workers being exploited with poor working conditions and insufficient pay. There are many reasons why migrant farmers are used to tend, harvest, and process our food supply. Let’s not be confused, this is exploitation. If these were sustainable jobs, more American citizens would be doing this work. This is not a direct criticism of farmers, I am pointing out very real problems in our food system. It is a system, like many of the systems in our world, that is built to benefit a few and exploit many - farmers included.
Conventional farming practices also degrade our soil, our water, our air, and our natural resources. Organic farming practices work to undo and restore this damage. Could those practices be taken farther? Of course. Biodynamic farming methods are the next step in stewardship of our land and natural resources, and there are farms turning to these practices now.
In a society where power is found in money, one of the strongest statements we can make is where we choose to spend our dollars. The more of us who choose foods labeled Organic, purchase from local farmers, and bypass mass produced calorie-rich and nutrient poor options, the more the industry will shift in response. This is grassroots activism taken to our tables.
Applications:
Knowing we want to buy local and organic food can be a great first step, but conventionally raised foods will continue to be less expensive unless major changes happen at a federal level in our country. Growing food if you have the space is a very cost effective way to add nutrition while cutting your food budget, but this isn’t accessible for everyone.
If space and cost are barriers for you, here are a few tips to try:
Look for a community garden in your neighborhood to see if there is space available.
Consider teaming up with your church, neighbors, or friends to start a community garden if one isn’t available to you.
If you receive SNAP benefits, look for local CSAs and Farmer’s Markets that accept and match your SNAP dollars.
Ask your local CSAs if they have scholarships available, many do!
When you go to your grocery store, check out the Environmental Working Group's guide to low pesticide and high pesticide foods known as the Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen. This can help you prioritize which foods to purchase organic to stretch your grocery budget.
Look to see if your area has a Gleaner’s association. These are organizations that help redistribute food so that it doesn’t go to waste.
I hope you learned something new and found some useful tips that you can incorporate into your daily life. Please pass this information along to your connections who may benefit from it!
Next Week:
Next week we will begin our deep dive exploration of macronutrients starting with fat. We will discuss why our bodies need fat; how fat is digested, absorbed, and metabolized (including ketosis); the connection between fat and hormones; different kinds of fat; and healthy sources of fats. See you all then.
To our health!
References
USDA, Organic Production and Handling Standards, October 2002, updated November 2016, https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/OrganicProductionandHandlingStandards.pdf Accessed 2/9/2021
Fu X, Xu J, Zhang R, Yu J. The association between environmental endocrine disruptors and cardiovascular diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Environ Res. 2020 Aug;187:109464. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109464. Epub 2020 Apr 9. PMID: 32438096.
Sanborn M, Kerr KJ, Sanin LH, Cole DC, Bassil KL, Vakil C. Non-cancer health effects of pesticides: systematic review and implications for family doctors. Can Fam Physician. 2007 Oct;53(10):1712-20. PMID: 17934035; PMCID: PMC2231436.
Han MA, Kim JH, Song HS. Persistent organic pollutants, pesticides, and the risk of thyroid cancer: systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Cancer Prev. 2019 Jul;28(4):344-349. doi: 10.1097/CEJ.0000000000000481. PMID: 30362975.
CDC, “Mortality in the United States, 2019” December, 2020 https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db395.htm, Accessed 2/9/2021
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Mayo Clinic Staff, “Organic Foods: Are they safer? More nutritious?” https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/organic-food/art-20043880 April 8, 2020, Accessed February 8, 2021
Bernhoft RA. Cadmium toxicity and treatment. ScientificWorldJournal. 2013 Jun 3;2013:394652. doi: 10.1155/2013/394652. PMID: 23844395; PMCID: PMC3686085.
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Shahidi F, Ambigaipalan P. Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Their Health Benefits. Annu Rev Food Sci Technol. 2018 Mar 25;9:345-381. doi: 10.1146/annurev-food-111317-095850. PMID: 29350557.
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Rock, Andrea, “Peeling Back the ‘Natural’ Food Label” Consumer Reports, Updated January 27, 2016, https://www.consumerreports.org/food-safety/peeling-back-the-natural-food-label/, Accessed 2/11/2021
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