When to Buy Organic

by Gregory Allen Butler

When to buy organic is a question I frequently have to answer. Today I went grocery shopping. I had on my list broccoli, onion, sweet red pepper, apples, blueberry juice, bread, carrots, mushrooms, celery, potatoes and tofu. I chose organic on every item on my list except two. With most everything on the list I had an easy decision, but on two items, the broccoli and onion, I went back and forth as to what to do. I ended up making the non-organic choices on those two items. At the store I shopped, organic onions were only available if I bought a big bag. I didn't know if I could eat that many onions before they spoiled. The organic broccoli didn't seem fresh and it was quite a bit more money. But the deciding factor was the fact that broccoli and onions are considered two of the cleanest non-organic foods when it comes to pesticides. More on that later.

But pesticides are not the only issue. Nutritional value is also an issue. Consider what Carlo Leifert, Professor of Ecological Agriculture, Director of the Tesco Centre for Organic Agriculture has to say: "Many research publications have shown that organically produced foods have higher amounts of beneficial minerals, essential amino acids, vitamins and lower potential risks from food pathogens and mycotoxins.

And the other issue in whether you buy organic or not is what non-organic farming does to the environment. Every stream that is polluted by pesticide and fertilizer runoff is doing irreversible damage to everything that depends on that water. Wildlife is being poisoned; fish are being contaminated.

The bottom line is that non-organic farming is raping our planet, poisoning our wildlife, polluting our water, and depleting the mineral content of the soil. Is it a coincidence that never before in history has there been such a high rate of people suffering from autism, and ADD at the same time that there has been such widespread use of pesticides on our food? And is it not too far of a leap in logic to deduce why farmers who use pesticides have a higher cancer rate than the general population?

Here is a statistic that will grab your attention: According to the Environment Protection Agency of the United States, each year an estimated 911 millions pounds of synthetic pesticides are applied to conventional agricultural crops throughout the United States. And where does that go? One important point to remember is that it doesn't go away. Some of it ends up in your liver and lungs.

When to buy organic? Consider these acts next time you go to the grocery store:
Seventy-one known carcinogenic pesticides are sprayed on food crops, according to the EPA. Since 1945, insecticide use has increased tenfold. And according to the U.S. General Accounting Office, only 1% of all imported fruits and vegetables are tested by the Food and Drug Administration for illegal pesticide residues.

There is also helpful information provided by the Environment Working Group detailing the 12 cleanest non-organic foods and the 12 riskiest non-organic foods.

12 Cleanest non-organic foods:

Asparagus, Avocados, Bananas, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Corn (though avoid genetically modified corn), Kiwi, Mangoes, Onions, Papaya, Pineapples, Peas

12 riskiest non-organic foods:

Apples, Bell Peppers, Celery, Cherries, Grapes, Nectarines, Peaches, Pears, Potatoes, Raspberries, Spinach, Strawberries

I will leave you with what the United Kingdom's Soil Commission has to say regarding the health reasons for buying organic food.

The best reason for buying organic food is simply that it tastes extremely good, but undoubtedly there are also sound health reasons for doing so. Studies have shown it to have more vitamins and trace elements than conventionally grown food and, of course, it will not have been treated with noxious chemicals.