Organic Produce

1) Is grown using natural fertilizers such as compost and manure to nourish the soil and feed the plants. Chemical fertilizers and sewage are not applied.

2) Is NOT sprayed with conventional chemical pesticides. Instead, pests are controlled using natural methods.

3) Is NOT grown where weeds are sprayed with chemical herbicides. Instead, weeds are controlled by mulching, manual weeding and crop rotation.

4) Is NOT genetically modified or irradiated.

5) Is NOT combined with food additives.

6) Is NOT treated with hormones or antibiotics, in the case of livestock. Instead, the animals are given organic feed and allowed access to the outdoors. Their housing is kept clean to minimize the risk of infection.

Is Organic Produce Better?

1) Foods that have been sprayed have been found to contain pesticide residues that may be harmful to health. Such residues have even been found in baby food! There are over 850 pesticides registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and many of these are used singly or in combination by conventional farmers to destroy agricultural pests, including insects. Many of these synthetic chemicals have been implicated in human and animal diseases. It is known that children eat more food relative to their body weight than adults do and so they will also be consuming more pesticide residues relative to their weight. Moreover, children’s detoxification systems are not completely developed so they are more vulnerable. Organically grown foods are free from potentially toxic pesticide residues.

2) There is growing evidence to show that organically grown fruits and vegetables have higher levels of health-protective compounds including antioxidants, flavonoids, phytochemicals and vitamins compared with conventionally grown produce.

3) Organic farming has been shown to produce the same yields of corn and soybeans as conventional farming but using less water, 30% less energy and of course no potentially harmful chemicals. Moreover, the soil quality is maintained, more water retained and there is less erosion. There is growing concern about the progressive loss of good quality topsoil in the world with conventional farming methods and the expansion of organic farming should help to reverse this trend.

Which Foods Should We Eat That Are Only Organically Produced?

The non-profit Environmental Working Group (EWG) based in Washington D.C. analyzed the results of nearly 96,000 tests for pesticides in produce collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) between 2000 and 2008. As a result of this analysis, the EWG developed a ranking of conventionally grown produce based upon pesticide content, see www.foodnews.org . The 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables are referred to as the “Dirty Dozen” and they are as follows, with the most contaminated first; Celery, Peaches, Strawberries, Apples, Blueberries, Nectarines, Bell Peppers, Spinach, Kale, Cherries, Potatoes and Imported Grapes. I do not buy any of these unless they are Certified Organic or are unsprayed.

The conventionally grown produce that showed the least amount of contamination from pesticide residues, the “Cleanest 15”, starting with the best are; Onions, Avocados, Sweet Corn, Pineapples, Mangoes, Asparagus, Sweet Peas, Kiwi, Cabbage, Eggplant, Cantaloupe, Watermelon, Grapefruit, Sweet Potato and Honeydew Melon.

According to the EWG, most of the data that were used to generate these lists were obtained from produce that had already been rinsed and, where appropriate, peeled before being tested.

© Christopher J. Jones, M.Sc., Ph.D.
Adventist Health Ministry,
Laguna Niguel, California, U.S.A.