Manic Organic- Are You Part of the Rush?

I had an interesting, yet baffling experience, when I entered the vegetable section of Woolworths, recently. I had simply intended to buy a small bunch of bananas and yet I found myself immediately facing a dilemma of whether I should get the organic bunch of bananas or the conventionally grown bunch. Both bunches were the same size and a gorgeous bright yellow. How was I supposed to know which ones to choose? It was then, that I made my decision to suss out organic foods and discover the Rush to Go Organic.

The Rush to Go Organic

Organic farming is expensive and is sometimes not as sustainable as one likes to think. More expensive farming methods are used than in conventional farming and there are tighter government regulations regarding the growth of organic foods. Organic farming also uses labour-intensive methods to remove weeds and pests. Since 2003, South Africa has had a major surge in the organic market with sales increasing from 5 million rand in 2003, to 155 million rand in 2005 and this is still proving to be lucrative business. Perhaps one of the reasons why the South African farmers have helped grow the organic market into such a massive enterprise is because of the large supply of cheap rural labour. Also an organization, the Organic Freedom Project has also been set up to encourage further growth of the organic market by helping to create 100 000 jobs by 2014.

The Good, The Neutral and The Just Plain Ugly

For the last decade, we have been told to “Go Organic, its healthier”, but no-one really knows if this is the truth, hence the massive onslaught of controversy surrounding it. It’s a battle between scientists and environmentalists (e.g. farmers) and we are still left with a choice as to whether we should “Go Organic” or not. After much research I still have mixed views about the topic, so I’ve decided to put it out there, and let you decide.

The Good- Organic farming encourages the conservation of soil and water and helps reduce the amount of pollution. It reduces the health risk of farm workers as no pesticides or herbicides are used and it also prevents the eco-systems from being destroyed. In organic foods, no antibiotics or hormones, additives or preservatives or chemical or synthetic agents which destroy microbial activity in soil, are used. Instead, fresh compost made from cow manure, bird droppings, apple mulch and other organic substances is added to the soil. With organic farming, the microbes in the soil break down any organic matter and solid minerals into forms the plant can use as nutrients to grow. This is the thinking behind the organic foods having higher amounts of trace minerals and other micro-nutrients.

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  There are 3 main categories of organic food: 100% organic refers to products which are completely organic or are made from completely organic ingredients; 95% organic refers to products which are 95% organic; and foods which are made with organic ingredients (70% of the ingredients are organic).

The Neutral- There is no conclusive evidence to show that organic food is more nutritious or tasty than conventionally grown food. Both types of food meet the same standards for quality and appearance. People buy organic food, as they believe they will be ingesting fewer pesticide residues. Non-organic foods also undergo rigorous testing to ensure their safety. Organic and non-organic foods both have the same physical characteristics; the only way they differ is in the way they are produced.

The Just Plain Ugly- Recent research shows that there are now more pesticides and contaminants in our bodies as a result of the food we eat. Each pesticide has a specific safety level determined by the government; however, research has shown many samples of fresh produce have different levels of different pesticide residues. In organic farming, some natural pesticides are used and are proving to be quite toxic, as they contain copper solutions which remain in the soil. This copper solution is allegedly the 18th most used pesticide in the United States. The British Medical Association states that “until we have a more complete understanding of pesticide toxicity, the benefit of the doubt should be awarded to protecting the environment, the worker and the consumer- this precautionary approach is necessary because the data on risk to human health from exposure to pesticides are incomplete”. Another thing to note, is that there have been reports showing that organic foods are also more likely to be carriers of pathogenic bacteria such as E. Coli and Salmonella.

So Should We Rush to “Go Organic”?

As this is a very controversial topic, there is no one definitive answer. You, as part of the general public, have the choice to choose what types of food you would like to eat. Eating organic food isn't a trend that you shouldn’t just rush to follow and in order to make a decision, you need to consider nutrition, food science and agriculture, as well as cost, quality and safety. So when choosing between my two bunches of bananas, I went for the conventionally grown range. When buying organic, you are paying for a product which has very few pesticide residues. Do I really want to pay for a bunch of bananas with very few pesticides, when evidence shows that they are not in large enough amounts to harm me? Well, again, I’m leaving the decision up to you. Just keep in mind, that whichever you choose, the freshest food is the best!