Should I buy Organic?
Photo by Yulia Khlebnikova on Unsplash
One question that many of my clients are curious about is whether there are health benefits to choosing organic foods (and/or risks associated with not doing so.) This is a great question, particularly when you factor in the higher cost of most organic foods. Is it worth it?
The short answer is: it depends. Ultimately, I think that what you eat matters much more than whether it’s organic, so I certainly don’t recommend that you skimp on vegetables and fruits because you can’t find or afford organic! That said, if your budget allows, there may be some benefits to choosing organic, both for you and for the environment.
Dairy and Meat:
Health Benefits: Organic, grass-fed dairy and meat contain about 50% more omega-3 fatty acids because the animals are grazing on grass, which is high in these healthy fats. This is good because omega-3 fats are known to lower inflammation in the body and support heart and brain health. BUT, the concentrations of omega 3s found in dairy are still far lower than you would find in fatty fish like wild salmon, tuna, mackerel or sardines, which may be a more cost-effective way to get them.
Risks: According to research, neither conventional nor organic dairy or meat products contain risky amounts of hormones, antibiotics, or pesticides. That said, there are some growing concerns about the health impacts of the herbicide glyphosphate, used on genetically modified corn and soy that makes up the feed for non-organically fed cows. Glyphosate seems to accumulate mostly in bones and collagen, so if you are frequently making bone broths or consuming supplemental collagen, choosing organic, grass-fed sources may be worth considering. Where contamination by food-born illness is concerned, organic meats may be slightly more likely to be contaminated, because no antibiotics are used; however, conventional meats are more likely to contain antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In either case, cooking any meat to a safe internal temperature will help to lower your risk!
Bottom line: There is some health benefits to buying organic, but it is relatively low-risk not to do so. The difference may be more meaningful if you eat a-lot of meat and dairy, but most of us would benefit from decreasing our meat portions and upping our veggies anyway! If you make beef bone broths or consume supplemental collagen, it is probably worth looking for grass-fed organic sources.
Eggs:
Health benefits: organic eggs may also have higher omega-3 levels, although so do conventional eggs that are fed high-omega-3 feed (typically containing flax seed). Where eggs are concerned, looking for “Pastured” eggs may be more meaningful than buying organic. Pastured eggs are from chickens that are allowed to roam free in open pastures eating grass and bugs for a large part of their diet. These eggs have twice as much Vitamin E and 2.5 times the omega-3s vs. conventional.
Risks: There are no major differences in contaminants between conventional and organic eggs. In recent testing, there was no glyphosate found in the eggs of chickens fed with non-organic feed.
Bottom Line: Organic vs. non-organic doesn’t make a huge difference where eggs are concerned. There may be some health benefit to buying Pastured eggs (and the chickens most likely have happier lives) although they are typically much more expensive. High-omega-3 eggs may be a good compromise if Pastured eggs are out of your budget
Fruits and Vegetables:
Health Benefits: Organic and conventional crops seem to have the same amount of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Where organic crops shine is in much higher levels of antioxidants. This is because organic crops have to fend off attacks from pests and other stressors, and antioxidants are the chemicals that plants produce to protect themselves. We like antioxidants because they help to fight cancer, inflammation, and have other unique health benefits.
Risks: Where herbicide and pesticide contamination is concerned, the levels vary greatly depending on the type of fruit or vegetable. There is not unanimous agreement about the health risks of pesticide exposure, but children and pregnant/nursing women may be more vulnerable, as may people with very sensitive systems. I always recommend that people print out the Environmental Working Group’s yearly report on the “Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen”. They test conventionally grown produce every year and compile a list of which are the worst offenders in terms of amount and known health risks of pesticide contamination and which are the cleanest crops.
2020 Dirty Dozen
Strawberries
Spinach
Kale
Nectarines
Apples
Grapes
Peaches
Cherries
Pears
Tomatoes
Celery
Potatoes
2020 Clean Fifteen
Avocados
Sweet corn
Pineapple
Onions
Papaya
Sweet peas (frozen)
Eggplants
Asparagus
Cauliflower
Cantaloupes
Broccoli
Mushrooms
Cabbage
Honeydew melon
Kiwi
This blog-post was originally written for Waverley Oaks Athletic Club, 7/23/18.