Are Organic Foods Really Healthier for You?

Pesticides are made to kill things. People who don’t want to eat pesticides often choose organic foods to avoid them. But does that really make sense?

…Well yeah, it kind of does. Duh.

The public has been repeatedly given the impression that “organic” foods are essentially no different than conventional or genetically modified foods.

Many of those promoting that perception are obviously interested in maintaining public confidence in the existing food system, including ingredient lists dominated by GM corn and soy staples and grocery stores made possible by heavy applications of pesticides.

A 2012 Stanford study claimed that there was no evidence that organic foods were any better for you, and the Academy of Pediatrics followed suit with recommendations that organic was no better for children. “…The needed long-term studies do not yet exist to show that eating pesticide-free food makes people healthier,” said Joel Forman, an associate professor of pediatrics at Mount Sinai Hospital and co-author of the Pediatrics report.

• Little evidence of health benefits from organic foods, Stanford study finds

• Pediatricians: Organic foods may not be better

But do we really need a long term study just to decide whether or not we should eat regular doses of pesticides with our breakfast, lunch and dinner?

The impact of pesticides in growing your food – which isn’t allowed in certified organic crops – provides more than enough reason to consider avoiding as much GMO and conventional food products as possible. But of course, it is your choice!

Here’s a look at just how many pesticides are used in growing typical crops – like the soybeans used in this chart – by ordinary farmers, depending upon which cultivation method they ascribe to (GMO with Roundup Ready soy; conventional soy; organic soy):

Pesticide Residues in Conventional vs. Organic Produce

Scientists have tracked pesticide residue samples collected from produce sold in grocery stores over many years – analyzing data sets from the USDA, California’s Dept. of Pesticide Regulation and the Consumers Union – and determined that organic produce has, on average, one third of the pesticide residue levels as compared with conventional produce, while the latter often has traces of multiple pesticides. The worst offenders showed residues from 14 types of pesticides; don’t forget that these toxic agents are also taken up by the plant and may be expressed inside foods as well.

• Study Finds Far Less Pesticide Residue on Organic Produce

• Pesticide residues in conventional, integrated pest management (IPM)-grown and organic foods

While organic foods may not be perfect, they verifiably do expose consumers to less pesticides in their diet – something that may be worthwhile, particularly for children.

Pesticides: Hazardous to Humans and Other Living Creatures

After all, many types of pesticides are outright neurotoxins, potential carcinogens and/or endocrine disruptors. It might just be a wise idea – under the precautionary principle (ya know, until the evidence comes in through those long term studies) – to minimize your intake of things marked with a skull & crossbones on the warning label.

• Glyphosate-based herbicides are toxic and endocrine disruptors in human cell lines

• Neurotoxicity of pesticides: a brief review.

• Neurotoxicity of pesticides.

Roundup Upsets Photosynthesis in Plants

Studies have found that glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto’s best-selling herbicide Roundup, accumulates in plants and adversely affects photosynthesis – which, in turn, may well affect the nutrition of your food, since photosynthesis is what makes all the good stuff happen in plants.

• Glyphosate Inhibits Photosynthesis and Allocation of Carbon to Starch in Sugar Beet Leaves

• Effects of 2,4-D, glyphosate and paraquat on growth, photosynthesis and chlorophyll–a synthesis of Scenedesmus quadricauda Berb 614

Glyphosate Even Affects Glyphosate-Resistant Crops

This remains true in glyphosate resistant (Roundup Ready GMO) crops as well, with studies pointing to a decline in the plant’s metabolic functions, including photosynthesis, due to the uptake of glyphosate.

• Compositional differences in soybeans on the market: Glyphosate accumulates in Roundup Ready GM soybeans

• Water use efficiency and photosynthesis of glyphosate-resistant soybean as affected by glyphosate

• Effect of glyphosate on symbiotic N2 fixation and nickel concentration in glyphosate-resistant soybeans

Good thing the EPA – ya know, the Environmental Protection Agency – just raised the allowable limits for glyphosate by 3,000%… happy eating!

• RT: Another win for Monsanto: US raises allowable levels of company’s pesticide in crops
• Truthstream Media: EPA to Raise Allowable Glyphosate Pesticide Levels in Food Crops by 3,000%!