Going Manic for Organic

The sales of organic foods this past year tallied $13.8 billion in the United States alone. Individual products routinely cost more than their processed, irradiated cousins but are they really "better" for you?

The fact is some organic foods do carry identifiable health benefits while others are equal to that of their conventional forms and while scientific trials have yet to document the worth of these items, many people are self-educated and thus have determined said to be the most nutritious, health-prompting foodstuff one can purchase/ingest. The guide, they claim, is personal priority. Higher energy levels, less GI symptomatology, even animal welfare are some concerns that encourage a person to pay double or triple the price for organic fare.

An "organic" stamp on a food defines the strict criteria of (1) not subject to the use of pesticides, hormones, bioengineering or irradiation; (2) "processed" foods must own at least ninety-five percent organic ingredients; and (3) "100% organic" must contain only organic ingredients. Made with organic ingredients signals that a product holds a minimum of seventy percent organic elements while a "natural" tag on any processed food should denote no artificial color(s) or additives although currently there are no set USDA standards for this grouping.

Fruits and vegetables labeled as organic are non-pesticide grown. A study out of the University of California at Davis found that organically grown tomatoes had higher levels of flavonoids (antioxidants linked to lower incidence of cancer and cardiovascular disease). Whether this is applicable to other thin-skinned veggies/fruits is still under the microscope but it is a given that all thin, porous skin produce is at higher risk for pesticide absorption. Thicker produce that gets peeled prior to eating (bananas, egg plant, etc.) seem not affected by pesticide, sprayed or not.