Posted on 09/08/2004 11:37:38 AM PDT by quidnunc
Denmark has become so paranoid over chemicals in their food that they are literally taking key nutrients from the mouths of children. A couple of weeks ago, the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration actually blocked Kellogg's from selling its breakfast cereals because they are fortified with vitamins and minerals.
We simply can't make up stuff this kooky.
Denmark has become infatuated with the organic philosophy of chemophobia. In the late 1990s, the government even briefly considered converting the entire country to organic farming over fears of the dangers of pesticides. While the authorities wisely backed off their organic-only scheme-after studies indicated food production would be cut in half-the nation is still clearly blinded by organic mania.
Nothing could better illustrate the absurdity of this frenzy than the new anti-fortification policy of the Danish food agency.
For decades, organic food activists have claimed that organic foods are more nutritious than non-organic foods, even though scientific study after scientific study has shown no nutritional difference. But in all this scientific debate, we've missed the elephant in the room: The real nutritional difference is that few organic foods are fortified with critical vitamins and minerals.
-snip-
(Excerpt) Read more at americanoutlook.org ...
And don't get them started on GMO, or products tested on animals. I would love to have a t-shirt that says "Not tested on animals... That means they're testing it on you!" Unfortunately, I'm just too lazy. Must be too much organic beer, I mean food.
Socialist Intelligence at work...
< sarcasm />
Ha. I got a kick out of one local farmer I used to live near. Some of the local stores demanded organic corn so he grew it for them. But since he used no pesticides, each ear had one of those tassel worms (or whatever they’re called). Evidently the organic corn people don’t like wormy corn. Go figure. Even though all you have to do is either pull the worm off or cut off the tip of the ear if you’re squeamish.
He finally got fed up with the mess and started planting all sorts of Asian vegetables. He’d sell stuff to whoever showed up. You could get 20 ears of corn for a buck, but you have to pick it yourself. Every morning the Asians would swarm the place picking those 3 foot long green beans and napa cabbage and strawberries and stuff. He claimed to make tons more money than he ever did selling to local stores with a whole lot less work.
The Vikings would be so proud.
Well, at least the reporting is impartial, sticking just to the facts. No opinion or spin at all implied in THIS article.
While I do find humor in what you guys are saying, I dont think that its fanatical to reduce the amount of unnatural chemicals put into your body. It just seems like commone sense to me. The less chemicals you have in your body, the better...
All chemicals are natural. Your body does not know the difference between Vitamin C from a pill and that of a citrus fruit.
The less chemicals you have in your body, the better...
The less chemicals in your body, the more likely you'll suffer beri beri, scurvy, rickets...
I don't think it's kooky at all. I already TAKE vitamins. Yet, a lot of food is fortified with vitamins, which could cause an overload of certain things. For instance, you don't want to have too much iron in your body. A certain amount is essential, but not an excess amount. Why should they be adding chemicals to the food?
Denmark has become infatuated with the organic philosophy of chemophobia.
I like it. I wish we would do more of that here. In fact, I ONLY buy organic fruits & vegetables. I don't like the mucky wax that coats regular apples. The funny thing is, at this particular point in time, the organic is the same price as the regular (that's not always the case), so why NOT buy organic?
September 8, 2004
Denmark, Corn Pops and Organic Madness
by Alex A. Avery
Denmark has become so paranoid over chemicals in their food that they are literally taking key nutrients from the mouths of children. A couple of weeks ago, the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration actually blocked Kellogg's from selling its breakfast cereals because they are fortified with vitamins and minerals.
We simply can't make up stuff this kooky.
Denmark has become infatuated with the organic philosophy of chemophobia. In the late 1990s, the government even briefly considered converting the entire country to organic farming over fears of the dangers of pesticides. While the authorities wisely backed off their organic-only scheme-after studies indicated food production would be cut in half-the nation is still clearly blinded by organic mania.
Nothing could better illustrate the absurdity of this frenzy than the new anti-fortification policy of the Danish food agency.
For decades, organic food activists have claimed that organic foods are more nutritious than non-organic foods, even though scientific study after scientific study has shown no nutritional difference. But in all this scientific debate, we've missed the elephant in the room: The real nutritional difference is that few organic foods are fortified with critical vitamins and minerals.
Compare a common children's cereal, Kellogg's® Corn Pops®, with an organic version, Envirokidz™ Organic GorillaMunch™ made by Nature's Path foods, both available at my local supermarket.
Both cereals are made essentially from corn, sugar, and salt. The organic cereal's top three ingredients are "Organic corn meal, organic evaporated cane juice, sea salt." It all sounds quaint, even that dodgy euphemism for sugar, "evaporated cane juice." Kellogg's® Corn Pops®' major ingredients are "Milled corn, sugar, corn syrup, molasses, salt."
Both cereals provide 110-120 calories per one cup serving, and 26-28 grams of carbohydrates. The organic GorillaMunch™ provides nearly twice as much sodium, whereas the Corn Pops® provide more carbohydrates in the form of sugar.
But while the basic nutrition of these cereals is nearly identical, the total nutritional value is worlds apart. A serving of Kellogg's® Corn Pops® provides between 10 and 25 percent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of 11 important vitamins and minerals. In comparison, the organic cereal provides none, except for a measly 4 percent of the recommended amount of iron.
The fortification is aimed at preventing serious diseases of malnutrition in children. Vitamin A prevents blindness and death. Vitamin C prevents scurvy, which causes internal bleeding, loss of teeth, and general fatigue. Iron, B6, and B12 prevent anemia. Vitamin B1 prevents the nerve disease beriberi. Vitamin B3 prevents a severe nerve disease, pellagra. Folic acid prevents birth defects like spina bifida. And vitamin D prevents rickets, in which bones are weak and uncalcified.
The fortified Kellogg's cereal clearly offers significant nutritional advantages over the organic cereal. Which one would you feed to your child?
These aren't academic questions. Rickets has been making a tragic come-back in the United States lately, despite the widespread fortification of milk and cereals with vitamin D. Not only are children spending too little time in the sun, but they are also opting for unfortified sodas instead of fortified milk and juices.
What's so wrong with fortified foods that the Danish government would ban them from the country? The DVFA has a new fortification policy aimed at protecting a tiny minority of theoretical "high-calorie" consumers, who might eat 12 bowls of cereal in a day, from overexposure to vitamins. This despite a total lack of evidence that anyone is being overexposed.
Commenting on the new policy, senior DVFA researcher Salka Rasmussen said that "The knowledge on toxicity of vitamins and minerals is very limited and practically non-existent for children." She acknowledged that deficiencies of certain nutrients do exist in the population, "but only in small groups like immigrants who aren't getting enough vitamin D or pregnant women who need folic acid. We need to take care of all of the groups in our population."
Is it really better to protect a tiny minority of theoretical consumers from the highly unlikely ravages of fortified foods than to protect real immigrants and pregnant women from the known and serious ravages of malnutrition?
Alex Avery is director of research and education for the Hudson Institute's Center for Global Food Issues.
Is acetylsalicylic acid bad for you but conium maculatum good for you? The former is "man made" while the latter is "natural".
Actually, I too agree with the idea of limiting chemicals and unnatural things from food. I was just amused by the caliber of the "reporting".
I like it. I wish we would do more of that here. In fact, I ONLY buy organic fruits & vegetables. I don't like the mucky wax that coats regular apples. The funny thing is, at this particular point in time, the organic is the same price as the regular (that's not always the case), so why NOT buy organic?
It's nice that you have the choice, based on dislike of wax. In Africa, on the other hand, millions are dying of malaria and malnutrition because of this chemophobia that is infecting Europe. The EU is imposing trade sanctions on African countries who dare use pesticides and genetically engineered grain.
But, hey, better than dying from AIDS or hacked to death for being the wrong tribe. What's a little famine, as long as France's farmers aren't harmed by foreign competition? The problems of Africa hold little interest for Old Europe.
For me it's not just about finding organic, but local produce. Long ship times from large commerce farms offers the consumer bland tasting produce. Do I think kids need fortified cereals? Not if they're eating a balanced diet with plenty of fresh foods.
Do I think government should set these standards.....a resounding NO!!!
"For decades, organic food activists have claimed that organic foods are more nutritious than non-organic foods, even though scientific study after scientific study has shown no nutritional difference."
Incorrect. There are several studies which show that organic foods have higher quantities of nutrients, including phytochemicals. Not exactly the most balanced article on this subject.
"For decades, organic food activists have claimed that organic foods are more nutritious than non-organic foods, even though scientific study after scientific study has shown no nutritional difference."
Incorrect. There are several studies which show that organic foods have higher quantities of nutrients, including phytochemicals. Not exactly the most balanced article on this subject.
Another thing that organic foods have is significant rates of e coli contamination.
I vaguely recall an African country - last year, I think - that refused a huge humanitarian donation of grain because it was GM. So, it's not just the EU who is turning down GM products. Even starving countries in Africa are turning them down.
Nobody wants the GM grains, so maybe they were trying to get rid of their excess by foisting them off on Africans, who also don't want them. People are afraid of GM products at this time, because we really don't know anything about them.
You can't really blame Africa, but it does seem a shame that the grain was GM, instead of normal grain. What kind of a gift is that - a gift of tainted grain?
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