Organic Health BenefitsEssay Preview: Organic Health BenefitsReport this essayBoth health officials and chefs tout the advantages of organic food, but what makes it any different than conventionally grown fare? Are there really any health benefits in eating only organic food? Experts arent sure yet if organic foods actually contain more nutrients than conventional foods, but there are health benefits to consuming less pesticides, antibiotics, hormones, and other chemicals that are added to conventional foods.
Meat and PoultryMeat, poultry, and dairy items are among the most important products to consider when buying organic for several reasons. Most conventional livestock comes from concentrated-animal feeding operations (CAFOs). According to “Food, Inc.,” the print accompaniment to the documentary film edited by Karl Weber, these are industrial-scale facilities where thousands of animals are fed and housed together in very close proximity. In these cramped conditions, disease can spread quickly; therefore, farmers dose each animal with antibiotics. Weber asserts that increased use of antibiotics on livestock leads to antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria that can eventually pass to humans. Organic animals dont need antibiotics, because they dont live in such tight quarters. USDA organic standards prohibit farmers from giving any medical treatment to animals unless they are sick, including antibiotics and synthetic parasiticides. Organic farmers and ranchers are also prohibited from giving their animals hormones or supplements to promote growth. Conventional feedlots engage in this practice in order to make livestock grow faster, so that they can be slaughtered sooner, which lowers the cost of raising them. According to Weber, ingesting hormones from meat can lead to hormonal imbalances that may cause cancer. Organic, grass-fed beef is also higher in Omega-3 fatty acids, which can lower cholesterol, beta-carotene, and vitamin E.
ProduceAccording to the USDA, organic fruits and vegetables, as well as grains, may not be treated with fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides that contain synthetic substances or sewage sludge. According to the Mayo Clinic, organic farmers use natural fertilizers, such as manure or compost, and beneficial insects and birds and other natural methods to reduce pests and disease. To manage weeds, organic farmers rotate and hand till crops instead of using chemical herbicides. Allison Pennell from babble.com, a parenting website, writes that ongoing exposure to pesticides makes children more susceptible to health problems, with a risk of nuero-developmental damage in particular. According to the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, kids who consume conventional produce and juice tested positive for the presence of several kinds of pesticides in their systems. When these foods were replaced with organics, the pesticides in their systems disappeared. According to Weber, some conventional
foods contain at least 10,000 additional pesticides, including at least 1,000 inorganic pesticides. To find out how effective or effective those pesticides (or the chemical substances or toxins that they contain) are, consumers may be interested in the following resources, which may help get an idea of how many pesticides are present within a given product. In addition, research shows there are numerous chemicals that combine with other substances to create chemical pollutants, including benzalkonium sulfide (AAS) and tetrachlor-estersol (TEL). According to Environmental Health Perspectives, there is a growing consensus that the chemicals in those formulations are harmful to health. “In fact, many studies reveal that there are over 15 years of information gaps,” said a spokesperson for the American Chemical Society. “[Pesticides] are a significant source of toxic substances in the environment. Many of them cause health risks for children and other people and, if left unchecked, could damage our drinking water.” According to the CDC, toxic chemicals that act in vitro (using an antibody) or in vivo (use by a human) are present in about 10 percent of foods. In fact, the studies on organic and/or processed foods show a low prevalence of over-estimates or high contamination rates, which indicates that some pesticides (but not all) could possibly have harmful interactions with food, thus exposing children to exposure. According to USDA, organic and processed foods will often contain other agricultural products containing pesticides (though many do in fact have natural-compact organic components), or those product that do contain organic matter. “We’re talking hundreds of millions of dollars a year for agricultural products that are also used by livestock and other livestock animals with very high organic matter. Food safety is a very important issue,” Weber said. “You don’t want your children or a child who will have this particular exposure due to the effects of another substance.” The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted research for its National Organic Program (NOP), which is designed to track agricultural chemicals. The program evaluated the safety and effectiveness of specific organic producers (organic plants) and the natural ingredients that were tested for safe, chemical and non-conventional use. Although EPA recommends that organic producers use all of their natural ingredients, they cannot exclude certain organic and non-organic chemicals from their list of essential chemicals or from the application of a new set of controls on the products. These additional requirements, said Weber, could include: pesticides from agricultural products, which the EPA estimates are about 0.5 percent contained in organic material. These chemical residues are sometimes passed to other food and feed additives and are used as an addition to the food. In many cases, the pesticides are added to the animal feed, the feed that is used for eggs or other animal feed products or has been altered to contain the non organic ingredient, so there could be a risk of contamination. USDA data on the use of pesticides in certain foods are not available so the Agency is only able to collect evidence that organic producers use organic means of feeding their animals with these products, Weber said. If the exposure of children to these pesticides results in the creation of a negative health impact, USDA recommends that organic producers cease their production of those products. EPA also recommends that organic producers disclose the level of pesticide use on their products to their employees. Weber’s website outlines how to find ways of preventing and reducing exposure to pesticides in a food supply. The USDA’s website also provides information on how to avoid toxic chemicals from eating or ingesting raw foods. “We always talk about food safety and organic food ingredients, but we are very concerned about the amount of toxic chemicals we have to keep the public safe,” said Weber. “Many people have a lot of questions about the food we eat, about how harmful chemicals are at the table and whether we should label our food as organic or not, or label certain products. If you are allergic to any of those ingredients, you should contact your health care provider or a health care provider to be educated about what products may
s that were contaminated with such pesticides can be replaced in the same manner. A second study published in Environmental Health Perspectives found that the impact of contaminated and non-contaminated raw milk on the development of autism and a developing child could be as great as those of contaminated uni-produced dairy products. Other studies have linked milk-based processed products to higher rates of developing autism and high rates of breast cancer risk. There are also the potential effects of low-cost organic and low-cost dairy, although much more studies are needed to truly prove these health benefits and safety. According to Lauren Sperles from the U.K. School of Preventive Medicine, there are also numerous studies showing that non-organic raw milk is harmful to healthy children, but more is needed. As Sperles notes, “I think that organic and raw milk is much more safe” than high-organic feed, so farmers who use organic products to “satisfy the needs of consumers” should “try to get to safety level” at all times. Additionally, even though the cost to produce organic products (and other organic ingredients) is high, organic foods are affordable (less than about $0.99) and are not exposed to chemicals or pollutants. For more information, visit Organic Consumers Association.
s that were contaminated with such pesticides can be replaced in the same manner. A second study published in Environmental Health Perspectives found that the impact of contaminated and non-contaminated raw milk on the development of autism and a developing child could be as great as those of contaminated uni-produced dairy products. Other studies have linked milk-based processed products to higher rates of developing autism and high rates of breast cancer risk. There are also the potential effects of low-cost organic and low-cost dairy, although much more studies are needed to truly prove these health benefits and safety. According to Lauren Sperles from the U.K. School of Preventive Medicine, there are also numerous studies showing that non-organic raw milk is harmful to healthy children, but more is needed. As Sperles notes, “I think that organic and raw milk is much more safe” than high-organic feed, so farmers who use organic products to “satisfy the needs of consumers” should “try to get to safety level” at all times. Additionally, even though the cost to produce organic products (and other organic ingredients) is high, organic foods are affordable (less than about $0.99) and are not exposed to chemicals or pollutants. For more information, visit Organic Consumers Association.
s that were contaminated with such pesticides can be replaced in the same manner. A second study published in Environmental Health Perspectives found that the impact of contaminated and non-contaminated raw milk on the development of autism and a developing child could be as great as those of contaminated uni-produced dairy products. Other studies have linked milk-based processed products to higher rates of developing autism and high rates of breast cancer risk. There are also the potential effects of low-cost organic and low-cost dairy, although much more studies are needed to truly prove these health benefits and safety. According to Lauren Sperles from the U.K. School of Preventive Medicine, there are also numerous studies showing that non-organic raw milk is harmful to healthy children, but more is needed. As Sperles notes, “I think that organic and raw milk is much more safe” than high-organic feed, so farmers who use organic products to “satisfy the needs of consumers” should “try to get to safety level” at all times. Additionally, even though the cost to produce organic products (and other organic ingredients) is high, organic foods are affordable (less than about $0.99) and are not exposed to chemicals or pollutants. For more information, visit Organic Consumers Association.