Posted on 09/03/2009 6:13:03 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
When I first started writing my upcoming book Organic Manifesto a year ago, I fully expected to have lots of information about how organic foods are healthier for you because they are more nutritious. The more research I did, the more I realized that nutrition is the least of our worries. Aside from the fact that the nutritional content of just about ALL of our food has declined over the past 50 years, we are, as a rule, overfed. And good nutrition is available from many sources in our diet.
So I wasn’t surprised in the least when a report was released last week by a British research team saying that a review of studies showed that organic foods aren’t more nutritious than chemical foods. As it turns out, there are some significant flaws in the way that analysis was done, as reported by Rodale.com and others. But beyond that is a larger point: The quest for more nutrition should be the last reason to eat organic foods.
What’s the first reason? The REAL reason we should eat organic foods? The real reason to eat organic food is that the thousands of chemicals used to grow chemical foods are causing horrific health and environmental problems. In my book (due out in March 2010) I discuss multiple well-documented studies from reliable sources showing that chemical pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, and the GMO’s used in chemically based food production, are implicated in, if not causing, the following health problems: diabetes, obesity, cancer, autism, Parkinson’s disease, male sterility, genital deformities, female infertility, miscarriage, infant deformities, ADHD, hormonally caused gender confusion, asthma, allergies, accelerated aging, and smaller penises in boys, amphibians, and other wildlife.
I have also discovered (and reveal in my book) that the chemicals used to grow so-called “conventional food” are responsible for the majority of our climate-change problems, the majority of our water-pollution problems, the majority of our plant and insect disease problems, and the majority of our economic woes.
Sounds crazy, but it’s true. You’ll have to wait until the book comes out to find out the details. But in the meantime, for your sake, for your kid’s sake, and for the planet’s sake, keep on eating organic!
We live in very different Americas. All the organic peeps around here are leftover hippies from the 60’s, LOL!
I live south of ‘The People’s Republik of Madistan’ in WI, which should explain a lot.
But, I’ve always been a ‘Conserve’-ative and have gardened organically for...forever. The Leftards around here have co-opted every good thing in Life.
Informed use like Starlink, RBST, DDT, and Asbestos for example? No need to spin anything. I see comments here anytime this issue comes up roundly dismissing organic agriculture with a "blind" faith in science and chemical use.
Who doesn't like nature? Another distraction to the discussion. You are aware that there are toxins in nature, aren't you? Of course you are.
Nature and the Intelligent Design behind it which IMO is more effective than man's attempts to manipulate it with unintended consequences. I'll take "Nature" head-to-head any day. The existence of toxins in nature suggests that we should create new toxins and use them with harmful effects? That makes little sense. Cannibalism exists in nature too...no one is suggesting that we mimic that.
If you want to eat organic as much as possible, more power to ya ... just don't act like you're holier than the rest of us. 'Organic' is a term with lots of wiggle room. Organic gardening uses chemicals too ... I have several on the shelf in my shed. They will kill you if you use them improperly. Malathion is safer than a couple of the certified 'organic' chemicals that I buy.
Holier than thou? You're transferring.
I live south of ‘The People’s Republik of Madistan’ in WI, which should explain a lot.
But, I’ve always been a ‘Conserve’-ative and have gardened organically for...forever. The Leftards around here have co-opted every good thing in Life.
We must because the working farms I go to aren't like that at all. Same with the local community garden.
Lucky YOU! :)
BTW, my friend does not conduct any studies, tax-funded or otherwise. He works for a living. Snarky comments about someone you know nothing about says more about you than him.
I see very few valid comments 'dismissing' organic agriculture. Snarky comments about Whole Foods Market don't qualify as "roundly dismissing organic agriculture". If it works for you, that's great. If you want to pay more for a product that may or may not be superior, that's great.
There are portions of this world where 'organic' farming would be the end of farming. That may be a foreign concept to you if you are unfamiliar with those places.
Do you approve of the hundreds of millions of human deaths that have occurred since DDT was banned? Where are the valid studies that scientifically show harm caused by DDT? Are you familiar with the studies done at UC Berkeley wherein DDT was fed in high concentrations to test subjects with no ill effects whatsoever over a period of years?
Nobody here is condoning the use of chemicals that are proven to be harmful when used according to the label.
"Holier than thou? You're transferring."
That's the best you can do in response to a paragraph of info? A personal attack instead of telling me where I made a mistake in my assertions is pretty weak.
DUH, If you eat, you ingest plants and meat that have been grown with nitrogen, PLANTS DON’T GROW WITHOUT NITROGEN AND ANIMALS EAT PLANTS.
Shhhhhh ... we shouldn't be discussing goats on Diana's thread. She isn't none too fond of the creatures!
Well, some of these dwarf goats are pretty small, you might be able to pass them off as a dog... maybe get it a “poodle” haircut! :D
Haha! I myself don’t own either, but I was looking into the goats as I have a dream to buy my own island in the Philippines someday if things keep going the way they do in this country. I always wanted to get an island and be self-sufficient, but thought it would cost millions, but over there, you can find 40+ acre islands for the same price as single family homes in my city!
How can my mind be closed if I have tried other options for my wellness? Pot, meet kettle.
I’ll wear my slicker, LOL! And thanks for remembering my fear and loathing where goats are concerned. :)
My point is although they are made up of chemical compounds, foods do not equate to ingesting chemicals in their pure forms. Foods are complicated substances that our bodies were designed to ingest. To state that they are “Just Chemicals” is, to me, a silly argument to have against organic foods.
“If you have broadleaf weed killer drifting 10 miles away, you have a very irresponsible aerial applicator spraying on a horribly windy day.”
Eastern Oregon, watching the family apple trees wilt, how can I be more honest?
The issue is not wether or not organic farming is better or worse than the alternitive.
I am trying to call out people who say that pestisites and chemicals used in Ag. are no different than manure, because that is dishonest.
If someone negligently killed your trees, hold them accountable. I can tell you this, however: I've never seen simple drift of a broadleaf weed killer actually KILL a tree. I've seen the leaves on trees that border our ag fields get "knocked-off" (wilt, turn colors, fall off), but the tree came right back. Happens all of the time.
Has the problem with your trees been diagnosed as damage from herbicide? While I can't speak for Oregon, anyone that sprays agricultural insecticides, etc. in Louisiana has to carry a license and insurance. The insurance will cover damage from misapplication or drift.
You couldn’t force me to eat that crap!
When I buy organic it’s because it tastes better. I’m generally not trying to save the world or make statements when I buy stuff.
“The insurance will cover damage from misapplication or drift.”
I do not think the trees died, no.
E Oregon has bigger problems to worry about, so maybe the enforcment is lax (mustard gas and plutonium !)
Would you agree that if something is dangerous enough to require insurance and regulation to use it is more dangerous than manure?
Let me also say, I do not want crappy organic fruit, I want commercially produced food that uses correctly and legally applied pest/weed killers, grown in the US when possible. That is the way to go.
My only objection is saying there is NO difference, the end result might be the same, but there is a difference.
I’ve got to respond later on this evening. Gotta run right now and my answers are not particularly brief.
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