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Only eat organic? You’re paying too much, and it’s not worth it, author says

DrQ

DrQ

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Only eat organic? You’re paying too much, and it’s not worth it, author says​

Not safer, better nutritionally, or likely produced by small, local farm, Robert Paarlberg argues in new book​

news.harvard.edu

Author Robert Paarlberg argues against buying organic

An excerpt from “Resetting the Table: Straight Talk about the Food We Grow and Eat” by Robert Paarlberg, associate in the Sustainability Science Program at the Harvard Kennedy School and at Weatherhead Center for International Affairs.
news.harvard.edu news.harvard.edu
 
It depends if you actually know where the produce is coming from and you are sure they are doing it properly. To me that is more important then any organization that tries to say what is organic or not. A lot of it is scam.

But I get why it costs more. A lot more waste and less production. Fertilizer and weed/bug killer has gone up a lot but still a lot cheaper to grow that way.
 
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DrQ said:

Only eat organic? You’re paying too much, and it’s not worth it, author says​

Not safer, better nutritionally, or likely produced by small, local farm, Robert Paarlberg argues in new book​

news.harvard.edu

Author Robert Paarlberg argues against buying organic

An excerpt from “Resetting the Table: Straight Talk about the Food We Grow and Eat” by Robert Paarlberg, associate in the Sustainability Science Program at the Harvard Kennedy School and at Weatherhead Center for International Affairs.
news.harvard.edu news.harvard.edu
Click to expand...
This is an excellent article which presents scientifically proven accurate information. I find it interesting that the same people who profess 'follow the science' believe that organic is better because of information presented on the internet by those with a vested interest in organic foods industry.

Although pesticides were misused and not highly regulated 50 years ago, crop protection chemicals today are thoroughly tested and very safe when used according to standards. It is more difficult for a manufacturer to gain EPA approval for a new crop protection product than it is to get FDA approval for a drug. Organic foods actually have much higher recall rates due to lysteria and other bacteria generated from organic farming practices. The use of GMO seeds has also dramatically improved the yield and quality of the crops as well as reduced soil erosion, water use, and cost to produce. Many crops thrive in areas where there is a strong need for insect and disease control, so it is difficult to produce these crop using organic restrictions.

Nutritional studies have clearly shown no advantage in nutritional value when comparing organic to non-organically grown foods under the same conditions. There may be differences between the organic vs non-organic produce at you local stores, it is likely caused by other factors. (This is often the case with organic tomatoes and some fruit that are harvested later). Locally grown produce is often better due to less processing time from farm to table, but this is true whether organic practices were followed or not.

I will only buy organic produce if the quality appears to be a lot higher and the price isn't too expensive. People also don't realize that hormones and antibiotics are no longer used in the US for beef, chicken, or dairy production so any claims regarding this are marketing hype to get you to pay more. Science has dramatically improved food safety, quality, and quantity.
 
My uncle was a farmer until about 6 years ago. The organic farmers still use chemicals. He says it's a lot of politics to be an organic farmer.
 
I have had 2 T-Shirts made that I wear around. The first one has the Word Organic with the International "No.' Red Circle with Red Slash. On the Back it says "I Love Gluten.' The 2nd one says "I Love GMOs and BGH.' On the Back it says "Eat Inorganic.' I am about to get a 3rd one made. On the Front it will say: "All Food is Organic." On the Back it will say:"All Food has been Genetically Modified." Most people do not understand the Joke about 'Eat Inorganic."
 
Ugh. More binary thinking. It's either got to be "this or that."

The big-picture problem is food which was grown/raised in horrific, inhumane conditions. Google "CAFO" but don't do so on a a full stomach. Or read up on what's going on with soybeans. Or take even a shallow dive into the pork and poultry industry. Just because I don't want that doesn't mean I only want $8 bell peppers with a bright "organic" label on them.

The reason so many people go for "organic" is they know much of our food is industrial squalor animals and chock-full-of-poison plants. They want to do SOMETHING to make better choices. But since the cards are stacked against them -- and farmer's markets aren't an option in many areas -- they pick from the organic section, hoping it's somewhat less toxic/inhumane.

Nearly all of our food problems would go away if people cared about where there food comes from. And I don't mean, "wrapped in plastic at a supermarket."
 
www.mayoclinic.org

Are organic foods worth the price?

Understand the differences between organic foods and traditionally grown foods when it comes to nutrition, safety and price.
www.mayoclinic.org www.mayoclinic.org

I will take Mayo Clinic over Harvard reporting on an author trying to sell something.
 
I have always wondered the point of organic bananas - you throw the peel away.
Organic apples make sense - since you eat the outside ; (but I am too cheap to pay extra.)
I also love the way supermarkets now charge a premium for a " child size" bag of apples.
 
The Mayo Article did not really much. Certainly not a ringing endorsement for Organic.
 
T-Dot-Traveller said:
I have always wondered the point of organic bananas - you throw the peel away.
Organic apples make sense - since you eat the outside ; (but I am too cheap to pay extra.)
I also love the way supermarkets now charge a premium for a " child size" bag of apples.
Click to expand...
Because the pesticides penetrate peel.
 
geist1223 said:
The Mayo Article did not really much. Certainly not a ringing endorsement for Organic.
Click to expand...
On the contrary, the Harvard piece says no to negative benefits. The Mayo Clinic says small to moderate increases in nutrition, and reductions in toxins and pesticides. But do what works best for you and your family.
 
ScoopKona said:
Ugh. More binary thinking. It's either got to be "this or that."

The big-picture problem is food which was grown/raised in horrific, inhumane conditions. Google "CAFO" but don't do so on a a full stomach. Or read up on what's going on with soybeans. Or take even a shallow dive into the pork and poultry industry. Just because I don't want that doesn't mean I only want $8 bell peppers with a bright "organic" label on them.

The reason so many people go for "organic" is they know much of our food is industrial squalor animals and chock-full-of-poison plants. They want to do SOMETHING to make better choices. But since the cards are stacked against them -- and farmer's markets aren't an option in many areas -- they pick from the organic section, hoping it's somewhat less toxic/inhumane.

Nearly all of our food problems would go away if people cared about where there food comes from. And I don't mean, "wrapped in plastic at a supermarket."
Click to expand...
I buy organic meats simply to avoid the hormones, antibiotics and nitrates.
 
Mongoose said:
I buy organic meats simply to avoid the hormones, antibiotics and nitrates.
Click to expand...
I buy meat from local farmers who don't have the money to certify. I look at their operation and say, "This looks great. Happy animals. It's clean. I'm good with this." I buy as much as I can in the produce department locally as well. And I'm up to growing about one-quarter of everything I eat.

The certification costs a fortune. I'm hard-core "organic." But I'll never be certified because I'll never be that big. I can't use that sticker, even though I do everything here by hand. I don't even have irrigation. Rain, soil, coffee and me. That's it.

The term organic ABSOLUTELY is a racket. Giving a thimbleful of interest about who raises and grows your food is the better way forward. And it puts the money into the hands of the small-timers who are knocking it out of the park.
 
Mongoose said:
Not for the USDA.
Click to expand...

People think the USDA is watching out for them. No. They're watching out for the handful of companies which run our food industry. There really aren't many of them. And they write the regulations to govern themselves.

And this is absolutely a "you're either part of the problem or part of the solution" societal ill. So many of the posts I see about people's awful health can be connected directly back to their diet. Bread, elsewhere, is healthy. Gluten isn't a bad-word anywhere but here. Why? They leaven their dough the slow, traditional way and don't add so much sugar that bread tastes like cake. That's why.

Gluten intolerance, fibromyalgia, diabetes, hypertension and a great many cancers all come from our diet. We're a sick country and the reason we're sick is that everyone wants convenient and not quality. We cannot continue pumping poison into our system and expect anything other than horrible outcomes.
 
I
ScoopKona said:
People think the USDA is watching out for them. No. They're watching out for the handful of companies which run our food industry. There really aren't many of them. And they write the regulations to govern themselves.

And this is absolutely a "you're either part of the problem or part of the solution" societal ill. So many of the posts I see about people's awful health can be connected directly back to their diet. Bread, elsewhere, is healthy. Gluten isn't a bad-word anywhere but here. Why? They leaven their dough the slow, traditional way and don't add so much sugar that bread tastes like cake. That's why.

Gluten intolerance, fibromyalgia, diabetes, hypertension and a great many cancers all come from our diet. We're a sick country and the reason we're sick is that everyone wants convenient and not quality. We cannot continue pumping poison into our system and expect anything other than horrible outcomes.
Click to expand...
I hear you. I try to eat clean, but it’s not a religion for me.
 
ScoopKona said:
People think the USDA is watching out for them. No. They're watching out for the handful of companies which run our food industry. There really aren't many of them. And they write the regulations to govern themselves.

And this is absolutely a "you're either part of the problem or part of the solution" societal ill. So many of the posts I see about people's awful health can be connected directly back to their diet. Bread, elsewhere, is healthy. Gluten isn't a bad-word anywhere but here. Why? They leaven their dough the slow, traditional way and don't add so much sugar that bread tastes like cake. That's why.

Gluten intolerance, fibromyalgia, diabetes, hypertension and a great many cancers all come from our diet. We're a sick country and the reason we're sick is that everyone wants convenient and not quality. We cannot continue pumping poison into our system and expect anything other than horrible outcomes.
Click to expand...


The food industry writes USDA food regulations ? o_O
 
In many cases in Hawaii we have found "farmers markets" to be an enclave of repackaged Cosco fruits and vegetables. When a kind older lady has a table full of products that couldn't possibly all have been raised on her land or on the islands it may be an indication that it is sourced elsewhere. IMO, "farmers markets" around the country are where the biggest deception occurs. Often the deception is done by consumer expectation and not by the actual seller. But, we all see those deceptive signs and terms: "All-natural", "Chemical-free", "Pesticide-free", "Farm-fresh", "Homegrown" or "Family-farmed". The ones that purport "Farm-fresh" always make me laugh inside. The sad part is there is not enough funding to insure that product at all the local "farmers markets" is really what it claims to be.

Since this is a timeshare forum I think making a comparison between organic lies and timeshare lies is appropriate.

Imagine you're on the hunt for legit organic goodies at a "farmers market", but some products are as organic as a plastic tomato. That's false organic claims, where labels can lie like a politician in an election year. There are rules, but sometimes they're more like guidelines, leaving you with organic trust issues worse than a bad online date connection. "I grew this vegetables myself on my 1,000 acre piece of land doing it all myself to give you fresh, clean food. Ignore the worm holes and blemishes. Oh, the Safeway sticker? Ignore that too."

Then there's the world of timeshares, promising you a slice of paradise but often delivering a slice of regret instead. It's like ordering a five-star meal and getting a cold hot dog. Laws exist, but they can be as enforceable as a "no cell phone" rule at a rock concert. "I swear that con-artist told me I was going to get 365 day use of my unit anywhere at anytime along with mega bonus points."

Putting your trust in organic foods is stomach turning while putting your trust in a timeshare sales person turns your stomach, raises your blood pressure, and leaves you with financial regret long after the pesticide covered tomato has been eaten.

Both situations can cost you money and faith in humanity. Lesson learned: keep your skepticism handy, whether you're shopping for organics or considering a timeshare. ️
 
Brett said:
The food industry writes USDA food regulations ? o_O
Click to expand...

Monsanto is top of the list for this.
HedonisticEpicurean said:
In many cases in Hawaii we have found "farmers markets" to be an enclave of repackaged Cosco fruits and vegetables. When a kind older lady has a table full of products that couldn't possibly all have been raised on her land or on the islands it may be an indication that it is sourced elsewhere.
Click to expand...

And then there's Cook's Bounty market, right around the corner from me, where everything is clearly from within a few hundred yards of that spot. The produce doesn't look like it was hit with a clone stick. There's also the option of simply pulling up to a farm. There's always SOMETHING being harvested. Right now, it's coffee and guavas.

But you're right -- it's the wild west of deception and treachery out there. And Americans can look in the mirror if they want to see who is to blame.

Take olive oil. More than half of the olive oil on the supermarket shelf right now is either adulterated or counterfeit. (Canola oil and chlorophyll.) The problem is so bad, that you can return a bottle/tin of oil, say "this is fake," and they will quietly refund your money to hustle you out of the store. All the fake oil enriches the mafia and terrorist groups. Why does this scam happen? Simple. People don't know what the real thing tastes like. They've been using bogus olive oil for so long that if you put the real thing in front of them, they wouldn't like it. I like to compare it to the difference between real maple syrup and "Log Cabin." They don't taste even close to the same. If I could find a way to put log cabin into an expensive bottle, and then sell it someplace where people don't know the difference, I could make a killing.

Every time this comes up, someone always demands, "I always buy XYZ brand, and it says first cold press EVOO right on the label." Like that means anything at all. It's just a bottle and a label. People also want to know which brand contains the real thing -- not understanding that "who is fake and who is real" is like trying to play a game of whack-a-mole.

The only way not to be hornswoggled is to know how real olive oil tastes. There are lots of olive farmers in California and Texas. Pick one and buy a bottle. Expensive, huh? That's right. Because that's how much real olive oil costs. Try some. Now you know. Same as my maple syrup analogy. Also the same as the difference between Kona Coffee and the "10% blends" which are finally disappearing from supermarket shelves thanks to litigation.
 
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