We’ve reached 2018 and organic food is absolutely everywhere. You’ll often find food labels and restaurant menus all employing the term and many health bloggers and celebrities alike shouting loud and proud about their organic lifestyles.

The O word is everywhere and so it begs to be asked, what does organic mean and what does it actually entail?

Organic is about working with nature and not against it. When it comes to food, organic involves farming methods that practise without the use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides or any other artificial chemicals (Soil Association, 2017). In its essence, organic food is food in its natural state without the use of manmade chemicals.

It is quite disconcerting that so many synthetics have fallen into our fresh produce. From meat, fish and poultry to fruits and vegetables, none of these foods manage to escape the harsh farming processes that is commonplace in today’s culture.

Common chemicals used in farming practises include antibiotics and growth hormones (often given to animals for disease prevention and to promote growth), pesticides (used to control insect infestation and weeds), and synthetic fertilisers to enhance crop yields.

And of course, whatever the plant is sprayed with or the animal ingests, so too do we when we eat it!

Is Organic Healthier?

Whilst organic food does come without any farm-produced chemicals or hormones, it is also important to understand the context of why a food may be deemed healthier than another.

Firstly, there is considerable debate on the health impacts of eating foods that are farmed conventionally. Specifically, antibiotic resistance has been linked with the consumption of antibiotic-treated meats (Landers et al. 2012).

It has also been found that organically-grown crops yield a higher antioxidant phytochemical content than conventionally-grown crops (McCarty et al. 2014). This shows a higher nutritional profile of an organic food compared with the non-organic option.

Taking all of these factors into account, organic food definitely seems like the favourable and healthier option. Yet it needs to be noted that just because something is termed ‘organic’, does not necessarily mean ‘healthy’, and this is why context is important.

For example, buying a pre-packaged microwavable chicken lasagne that labels the chicken as organic does not necessarily mean that this is a healthy dinner option, due to the other ingredients used and the processing involved to make the dish.

As a rule of thumb, organic food is higher quality and free from any synthetic hormones and chemicals that have been linked with health risks, but it is best to always buy organic whole foods rather than organic processed foods.

Indeed, organic foods do come with a higher price-tag and this means that we may need to prioritise based on what we can afford. Generally, anything with an outer skin is more protected from pesticide sprays such as avocados and bananas.

References:

Landers, T.F. Cohen, B. Wittum, T.E. et al. (2012).’A Review of Antibiotic Use in Food Animals: Perspective, Policy and Potential’, Public Health Reports, 127 (1), pp. 4-22 NCBI [Online]. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3234384/ (Accessed: 13 October 2017).

McCarty, M and DiNicolantonio, J. (2014). ‘Are Organically Grown Foods Safer and More Healthful than Conventionally Grown Foods?’ British Journal of Nutrition, 112 (10), pp. 1589-1591 Cambridge [Online]. Available at: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/are-organically-grown-foods-safer-and-more-healthful-than-conventionally-grown-foods/1CE9BCAEC1DA8A7469F54B46878CD591(Accessed: 12 October 2017).

Soil Association. (2017). What is Organic? Available at: https://www.soilassociation.org/organic-living/what-is-organic/ (Accessed: 12 October 2017).