Kim Arrington Johnson in Food

Organic Foods: Are They Safer? More Nutritious? Worth the Cost?

I understand that every family cannot make room in an already tight budget for organic foods. However, I am overwhelmingly convinced that organic foods in key food groups are worth every penny, especially for pregnant women and children.

But that doesn’t mean the debate isn’t complicated. Who isn’t drawn to cheaper, conventional strawberries that look exactly like the organic ones at the supermarket? The conventional ones may even look nicer! For many, the extra expense may not be worth it, and it is more important to eat fruits and vegetables, than to eat organic fruits and vegetables. However, there is another story when it comes to synthetic insecticides and pesticides, GMOs, synthetic growth hormones, and antibiotics used to stimulate the growth of livestock. Organic practices prohibit these things.

What is conventional food?

Conventional foods, including produce and animal products, allow for the use of synthetic insecticides and pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, antibiotics, growth hormones, chemical additives, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). These chemicals are used in food production for two major reasons: to make food look appealing and to make it as cheaply as possible. Unfortunately, speeding up animal growth and producing aesthetically pleasing fruits and vegetables comes at the expense of our health.

What is organic food?

Organic food is required by the USDA to be produced without bioengineering or genetically modified organisms (GMOs), antibiotics, synthetic growth hormones, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, ionizing radiation, and manmade pesticides.

Who should eat organic foods?

Pregnant women and young children are two vulnerable groups that could benefit the most from eating organic foods.¹²²

Children are not “little adults.” Their body systems are not fully developed like adults.
Environmental chemicals can disrupt and alter the way genes work from the embryonic phase through early childhood, causing developmental defects.
A baby’s blood-brain barrier is leaky or more permeable than an adult’s, allowing toxins to reach the nervous system more easily.
A baby’s blood does not contain certain components, such as serum proteins, that help prevent toxins from reaching susceptible organs.
A baby’s ability to metabolize, detoxify, and excrete toxins, especially in the first months of life, is different from an adult’s (e.g., kidney and liver systems are not fully developed).
Children eat fewer types of foods, making them more susceptible to certain crops (e.g., corn and soy in chips and crackers, apples, potatoes, etc.)
Pound for pound, children eat three to four times more food and drink 2.5 times more than adults.
The EPA reports that known carcinogens average 10 times the potency for infants up to age two years, while other chemicals may be up to 65 times more powerful when ingested by a young child versus an adult.¹²³

Testing of conventional foods

Results from the testing and monitoring of conventional foods (e.g., checking pesticide levels) are often controversial because it is very difficult to isolate chemicals in food production. With so many foods produced, used and ingested in combination with another, the bar for banning a single pesticide or toxin is extremely high. Overwhelming evidence must be provided to spark action. Media reporting on conventional foods is also tricky. There is a great deal of financial stake in the perceived safety of our food and the integrity of the agencies monitoring our food. Organic food is also more expensive than conventional food, making the issue politically charged.

What about reports that say organic foods are no better than conventional foods?

The nutrition debate. In 2012, a Stanford University team conducted a meta-analysis of several decades’ worth of research and concluded that organic foods are no more healthful or nutritious than conventionally grown foods, setting off a firestorm in the media. The study agreed that organic produce has lower levels of pesticides.

Other research studies have shown small increases in the nutritious properties of organic produce, especially flavonoids, which have antioxidant properties.

What does the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) say about organic foods?

The AAP weighed into the organic debate in October 2012, one month after the Stanford report, stating that organic foods have lower pesticide levels and may reduce diseases linked to antibiotic resistance. The AAP could offer no clinically relevant nutritional advantage of organic over conventional foods. The AAP urged that eating healthy food is more important than debating organic or conventional, but subtly agreed that organics are a better choice.

What is my conclusion about conventional vs. organic foods?

Nutrition isn’t the issue. It’s about the stuff sprayed on our food. It’s about synthetic hormones used to plump up animals faster, causing early puberty in our daughters and higher rates of breast cancer. It’s about antibiotics in livestock production, creating a surge of antibiotic-resistant infections in hospitals. It’s about GMO seeds creating unstable plant combinations that do not occur in nature making super pests and super weeds that require more chemicals to be put in the soil and sprayed on our food. It’s about chemically-treated sewage sludge (human and industrial waste) that is spread over conventional crops for fertilizer and dust control.

Is organic food production perfect? No. Are all naturally-sourced pesticides harmless? Probably not. Are organic farmers trying to cut costs and generate profits just like conventional farmers? Of course they are–and we must continue to monitor these companies by voting with our dollars. However, I am still convinced, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that many organic foods are better for our long-term health than conventional foods, especially for vulnerable groups.

Differences between organic and conventional farming methods

Conventional Methods	Organic Methods
Applies synthetic fertilizers to unnaturally speed up plant growth	Uses natural fertilizers, such as manure and compost
Sprays plants with World War II-era insecticides and pesticides	Uses predator insects, physical planting controls, and naturally-sourced pesticides
Uses synthetic chemicals to manage weeds	Uses non-toxic products to manage weeds or rotates crops, mulches, and hand-weeds
Injects livestock with antibiotics and growth hormones to ward off disease and promote unnatural growth or milk production	Feeds livestock grass and organic feed while allowing animals at least some access to the outdoors

Why does organic food cost more?

Organic farms are typically smaller than conventional farms, and they do not benefit from economies of scale, as larger growers do. Smaller organic farms may not receive generous federal farm subsidies like larger, commodity-based farms. Growing organic food is also more labor-intensive. However, while conventional foods are less expensive up front, conventional farming does not account for costs “on the back side,” such as environmental cleanup, potential health risks, and future health care costs. In general, organic prices reflect the price of growing food.

Which organic foods should I prioritize?

Prioritize animal and animal products first, due to the combined risks of antibiotics, growth hormones, and pesticide-tainted GMO feed. Animal products such as dairy, fish, poultry, and beef contain the most toxic pesticide residues because these animals eat large amounts of feed.

Dairy (Milk/Yogurt/Butter/Cheese)
Eggs
Beef
Chicken
Pork
Fish

Antibiotics and added hormones to our foods have been linked to the following:

Early puberty in girls: In 1900, the average age for menstrual period onset was age 14. Today, there is a surprising rise in girls entering puberty between ages seven and eight. A Pediatrics study of 1,239 adolescents found that 10% of Caucasians and 23% of African Americans had begun puberty by age seven, twice the rate seen in a 1997 study. By age eight, 18% of Caucasian girls and 43% of African American girls had reached early puberty.¹²⁸ Early puberty is associated with increased breast cancer risk.¹²⁹
Cancer: Certain cancers, such as breast and uterine cancers, increase with longer exposure to estrogen and other hormones. Did you know that six different types of steroid hormones are currently approved for use in beef cattle and sheep by FDA? Estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, zeranol, trenbolone acetate, and melengestrol acetate. Estradiol and progesterone are natural female sex hormones, testosterone is the natural male sex hormone, and the final three are synthetic chemicals that enhance animal growth. The hormone drugs are formulated as pellets and placed under the skin of the animal’s ear.¹³⁰
Antibiotic-resistant infections: Superbugs are popping up in hospitals at an alarming rate, due to infections that are difficult to treat because of antibiotic resistance. The CDC issued a report in 2013 indicating that the U.S. could face “potentially catastrophic consequences” if it does not combat the issue. 23,000 people are dying per year as a direct result of antibiotic resistance, while 14,000 illnesses are linked to related infections, costing the U.S. $23 billion annually. Remember those back side costs of conventional foods? While it is unclear how much agriculture has contributed to the increase, livestock antibiotics (the primary suspect) are passed to humans in traces that have been linked to strains of extremely resistant bacteria.¹³¹
Foodborne illnesses: Food-related illness linked to antibiotic-resistant bacteria has climbed noticeably in recent years.
- In 2011, there was a multi-state Salmonella Heidelberg outbreak from ground turkey.
- In 2012, Cargill Meat Solutions conducted a ground beef recall, and in 2013, there was a significant salmonella outbreak credited to Foster Farms tainted chicken.
- In 2018, JBS Tolleson recalled 12 million pounds of beef for salmonella fears, as well.

Pesticides and insecticides

Now that we have a better understanding of our meat and dairy industries, let’s look at some considerations of pesticides and insecticides in food crops, such as fruits and vegetables.

AAP statement on pesticides: In a December 2012 report, the AAP made specific recommendations to reduce children’s exposure to pesticides based on the premise that “prenatal and early childhood exposure to pesticides is associated with pediatric cancers, decreased cognitive function, and behavioral problems.”¹³²
Link to ADHD: A 2010 study from Harvard University found that kids with above-average pesticide exposures are nearly two times as likely to have ADHD as children with undetectable levels.¹³³
Link to lower IQ: Several studies link prenatal pesticide exposures with decreased cognitive development on multi-ethnic populations. One study found a seven IQ point deficit in children whose mothers had the highest quintile levels of pesticides in their urine during pregnancy.¹³⁴
Increased risk for children: Children play on lawns and on floors, and they tend to put objects in their mouths, increasing exposure to pesticides used in the home and on yards. Home pesticide use overall has been linked to childhood cancers such as soft tissue sarcomas, leukemia, and cancer of the brain.¹³⁵

If I am budget constrained, which fruits and vegetables are worth the organic cost?

The Environmental Working Group prioritizes twelve fruits and vegetables each year that are worth buying organic. This group estimates that you can reduce your pesticide exposure by 80% by choosing organic versions of these foods.¹³⁶

The Dirty Dozen

These are fruits and vegetables that are worth buying organic in 2019.

Strawberries
Spinach
Kale
Nectarines
Apples
Grapes
Peaches
Cherries
Pears
Tomatoes
Celery
Potatoes

The Clean Fifteen

If you are on a tight budget, don’t waste your money buying these organic foods. The clean fifteen are the least likely to have pesticides detected on the parts you eat after typical washing.

Avocados
Sweet Corn
Pineapples
Cabbage
Sweet Peas (frozen)
Onions
Asparagus
Mangos
Papayas
Kiwi
Eggplant
Grapefruit
Cantaloupe (domestic)
Cauliflower
Sweet Potatoes

Other organic priorities

Families may want to prioritize foods that are particularly popular with kids by putting these organic, non-GMO foods at the top of the grocery list.

organic baby food
organic peanut butter
organic ketchup
organic apples
organic grapes
organic potatoes
organic dips and salad dressings (avoid cottonseed, corn, and soy-modified oils)
100% olive oil (70% of the worldwide extra virgin olive oil is estimated to be watered down with cheaper GMO oils).¹³⁷

Did You Know?

Decoding the Stickers on Fruits and Vegetables

The stickers or labels attached to fruits and most vegetables in the supermarket have a function beyond helping to scan prices at the checkout counter. By reading the stickers or price look up (PLU) codes, you can tell whether your food is genetically modified (GMO), organically grown, or conventionally grown.

Four numbers: If there are four numbers in the sticker code, this product is conventionally or traditionally grown using synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. The last four numbers of the PLU code represent the kind of vegetable or fruit. For example, all conventional bananas have a code of 4011.
Five numbers and the number starts with “8”: A five digit PLU code beginning with an “8” signifies that the fruit or vegetable is genetically modified (GMO).
Five numbers and the number starts with “9”: A five digit PLU code beginning with a “9” signifies that the fruit or vegetable is organically grown. Remember: eight I hate, but nine is fine.

Buying organic food on a budget

If you live in California, you are in luck, because organic and conventional foods are fairly close in price. However, buying organic food week after week for the rest of the country can be a real drag on your wallet. Here are some tips for organic shopping on a budget.

Have a positive outlook about paying up for good food. Pay up for what goes into your body and cut costs on what is just stuff.
Grow your own organic garden for the foods and herbs that you enjoy.
Search LocalHarvest.org to locate farms, farmer’s markets, and Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs in your area.
Shop at local farmer’s markets or local fruit and vegetable stands.
Buy a share in a Community-Supported Agricultural (CSA) program. These programs typically cost $300 to $500 for a growing season (i.e., May through September), with cost depending on the number of family members to feed, such as one to three, three to six, etc. A growing season might typically extend from the summer months for most items and into the fall for other fruits and vegetables. Depending on your location, some offer weekly, monthly, or seasonal shares.
Join a co-op. A food cooperative is a member-owned business that provides food and groceries at a discount. Search CooperativeGrocer.coop or OrganicConsumers.org for food co-ops in your area.
Buy organic fruits and vegetables in season. Negotiate a discount at a local farmer’s market for buying in bulk. Then freeze the leftovers.
Start a buying club with your friends. Talk to a local co-op or meat farmer about buying a bulk order and splitting it with friends.
Take a trip through an area with family farms and stock up. When our family lived in Washington DC, we used to take coolers and drive through the Shenandoah Valley countryside, collecting grass-fed beef and organic poultry, pork, and eggs with local prices solidly beating out urban farmer’s market prices.

What if prices for organic fruits, vegetables, and meats are still out of my budget? How do I reduce toxin exposure with conventional foods?

Even if foods purchased are not organic, consumers should pay attention to how their food is sourced. For example, fresh produce from a roadside stand or produce labeled as “local” in the supermarket is probably a good option. Also, to help reduce repetitive exposure, shop at different stores and buy different varieties of foods. Place fruits and vegetables under running water and scrub them with a brush. For pregnant women and young children, cut out the cores and peel the skins from Dirty Dozen foods.

For apples and pears, cut out the fruit’s core, top, and bottom.
For strawberries, cut out the stalk and core (the white part).
For peaches and nectarines, peel the skin.
For grapes, avoid imported grapes during the winter months since international pesticide allowances are higher than domestic standards.
For bell peppers, buy red, yellow, and orange varieties, which are typically grown in hothouses, rather than green peppers, which are grown in the outdoors.
For leafy greens, remove the outer layers.
For fish, beef, pork, and poultry, peel away the skins and extra fat, which typically have the highest concentrations of pesticides and environmental residues.

Natural Means Nothing

Understanding marketing terms

Expect that many of these labels will leave you scratching your head. For marketers, the key is to advertise at least one good health claim to distract you from other concerns.

100% Organic. All ingredients must be certified organic.
Organic. If you see the USDA Organic seal, this product has 95% or more organic content. USDA-certification for organic meat forbids the use of growth hormones, antibiotics, genetically modified feed, or animal by-products in raising the livestock. Beyond those practices, it does not address the treatment of the animals or the specific feed.
“Made With” Organic. At least 70% of the product must be certified organic ingredients. These products cannot use the USDA Organic seal.
Grass Fed or 100% Grass Fed. These terms imply that USDA grass-fed beef has only a grass diet and access to pasture year-round, while an organic pasture diet may be supplemented with grain. The grass-fed label does not limit the use of antibiotics, hormones, or pesticides.
Cage Free. This term means that laying hens live outside of cages, typically in a barn, warehouse, or enclosed building. Cage-free does not mean that hens have access to the outdoors.
Free Range. Producers must demonstrate to USDA that poultry has access to the outdoors. There are no USDA requirements for time granted outside or for the quality or size of the outdoor area.
Humane. Many labeling programs make this claim; however, the USDA does not regulate this term or other similar labels such as “old fashioned,” “pasture-raised,” or “low stocking density.”
Natural or All Natural. For meat, poultry, and eggs, the USDA requires these products to be minimally processed; however, there are no specific guidelines. Therefore, “natural” and “all natural” are marketing label favorites because they imply everything and mean nothing.¹⁴⁰