April 2008
Life | Web Exclusive

Organic Eater: Absolutely!

by Lori Saporito, RDH

You’re doing your best to eat healthy and are encouraging your family and friends to join you in this endeavor. You’ve been increasing your whole grains, vegetables and fruits. You’ve been pairing down your consumption of processed food, sugar, alcohol, caffeine, animal products and dairy. Now, to tweak the diet to an even more nutrient-dense routine, you’ve decided to eat as much organic food as possible—sometimes, the cost is noticeably higher.

While a healthy lifestyle is paramount, there may still need to be decisions made regarding where to stand firm on organics and where conventionally grown or raised food is okay.

What exactly does organic mean? According to Katherine DiMatteo, the former executive director of the Organic Trade Association, organic farmers may use some pesticide, usually less than 5% of the amount of pesticide that the government considers safe; the farmers often use pest control that is non-toxic. There is no sewage sludge used as fertilizer, no GMO (genetically modified organisms) in seed stock or seedlings, and there is no irradiation of the product after it is grown. Farmers do use compost and raw manure, however, and unlike conventional farming, organic farms have very detailed requirements including a minimum amount of days between composting and harvesting. The U.S. Department of Agriculture oversees the certifiers who oversee the inspectors; the inspectors work directly with the farmers.¹

GUIDING LIGHT

Pediatrician Alan Greene, MD, author of Raising Baby Green, reminds us that every bite of food is either an investment in your body’s vitality or a debt your body is taking out. When we are feeding children, we must consider that there is a greater health risk from pesticides because kids consume more food on a per weight basis and they are still developing their organs.² There is increasing evidence that organically grown fruits, vegetables and grains may offer more nutrients, including Vitamin C, iron, magnesium and phosphorus, than conventionally grown food.³

Let’s start with produce. Fruits and vegetables are either 100% organic or are conventionally grown. The Environmental Working Group (www.ewg.org) publishes a shopper’s guide to pesticides in produce. The first group is called “The Dirty Dozen.” These are the foods that you want to make sure are organic. The list includes peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, imported grapes, pears, spinach and potatoes. The “Cleanest 12” have the lowest amount of pesticides, “conventionally grown” is fine to purchase. This list includes onions, avocado, frozen sweet corn, pineapples, mango, frozen sweet peas, asparagus, kiwi, bananas, cabbage, broccoli and eggplant.⁴

MEAT MATTERS

Included in the 100% organic category are whole grains and meats. Whole grains follow the same standards as fruits and vegetables. In order for animal products to be considered organic, the animal must be raised organically from the last third of gestation. The mother is fed 100% organic feed, she is protected from weather conditions, has access to the outdoors and if she is a ruminant, must have access to grass. For poultry, the chick must be raised organically no later than the second day of life. No hormones are allowed and no antibiotics are allowed for anything in the United States. If antibiotics are necessary to save the animal’s life, they are used, however, this animal is no longer able to be sold for food. In Europe, there is an increased interest in humane treatment. Organic animals are allowed antibiotics if necessary. There is a withdrawal time period that must then be met before slaughter.⁴

READ THOSE LABELS

Organic labeling on processed products falls into two different categories. The first is “organic.” This product is usually multi-ingredient or processed and 95% of the products used are organic. There are some common ingredients, like baking soda, that cannot be organic. The second category is “made with organic.” Up to 30% of the ingredients in this product can be non-organic. They will list the organic ingredients on the label and will need to be certified by the USDA. Europe plans on eliminating this category.

Aside from our personal health, organic farming is much kinder to the environment and will leave a better world for our children. As the demand for organic products increases, the prices start to fall. Encouraging our patients and our families to strive for the healthiest diet is something we all need to do during the course of our days.


TIP: There are processed products in the health food stores that are essentially organic junk foods. How much of an impact is it on your health if you decide to choose the organic potato chip instead of the conventional? Eighty-one percent of conventional potatoes that are peeled and washed test highest among vegetables for pesticides. So while no one is advocating processed foods in the diet, if you do decide to have some, choosing the organic junk food is still a better bet for your health and the environment than that regular package of chips.