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Organic Produce: Is it Better for You?
by Andrea and Eric Watson, HPC Co-op Members (reprinted from the April/May 2001 newsletter)My mom refuses to buy organic food. She doesn't say so, but she thinks it's a waste of money. She is not alone. In fact, only 1% of the US food supply is organic; 9 out of 10 people choose conventional over organic. So what? Why is organic better? Why do my husband and I buy organic, and why should we be telling anyone else, especially my mother, which is better?
This question prompted us to spend an afternoon at the U of M's Soil and Agriculture Library recently, searching for evidence that would confirm or deny our views. There are many reasons to buy organic, we felt, but the most compelling one for the average American (or mom) would be nutritional value. While we believe in environmental reasons, economic justice issues, and supporting local efforts, these are not widely popular perspectives. Also, we knew the least about the actual nutritional differences in organic versus conventional foods, so we thought we might learn something.
Our extensive literature search can be summed up in one word: inconclusive. The debate over organic versus conventional nutrition will not soon be solved by the scientific community. Studies were difficult to find, and harder to track down. Little research has been done by impartial parties, and in this era when most academic research is funded by industry and government, that's not likely to change.
Studies dating from the early 1900s demonstrate little difference between the nutritional value of organic versus conventional foods. They commonly cite inadequate sample size, difficulty controlling variables, lack of controls, and findings of "no clear differences." More definitive statements are made by sources such as Food Technology advising consumers that there is "no evidence that organically grown foods are superior in quality, safety, or nutrition." They downplay the health risks posed by pesticide consumption and warn that "efforts to include solely 'organic foods' in the diet...present the risk of possible loss of balance and variety in the diet" (Food Technology 1990 (June)). Of course, they don't explain how organic food could lead to an unbalanced diet...There's not a "Pesticides" food group, is there?
On the other hand, one study done in the Chicago area demonstrated that, on average, organic pears, apples, potatoes, and wheat contained over 90% more of the nutritional elements than similar commercial food. Sweet corn had about two and one half times more (Smith 1993). In this study, researchers went to stores just like regular consumers. They selected some organic and some conventional samples and then analyzed the nutritional elements in each group. But even this study came back with mixed results and its methodology criticized.
Whatever you base your decision on, one thing is for sure: it won't be nutritional science. You might choose organic because you feel safer knowing your food wasn't sprayed with pesticides. You might choose conventional because it's ridiculous to pay $8.99/lb. for an organic red bell pepper when the conventional is only $2.49/lb. Or you might choose organic because you believe that putting your dollar behind more sustainable agricultural practices sends a message. But for now, if you want to make a data-driven, hard-science, fact-based decision between organic and conventional produce based on their nutritional content, you'll spend a lot of time in the aisles, and never reach the register. And if you want to convince your mom that organic food isn't a waste of money, you may have to engage in conversation about community, responsibility, and economic justice. Which, in the end, may not be such a bad thing to do, after all.
Bibliography
Organic foods: Are they better? 1990. Journal of the American Dietetic Association 90: 367-371.
Organically grown foods. 1990. Food Technology 44 (June): 26-29.
Organically grown foods. 1990. Food Technology 44 (December): 123-129.
Premuzic, Z. et al. 1998. "Calcium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, and vitamin C content of organic and hydroponic tomatoes." HortScience 33: 255-258.
Warman, P.R. and Havard, K.A. 1997. "Yield, vitamin and mineral contents of organically and conventionally grown carrots and cabbage." Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 61: 155-162.
Woese, K. et al. 1997. "A comparison of organically and conventionally grown foods-results of a review of the relevant literature." Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 74: 281-293.