Organic

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Is organic really healthy?

"Organic" is a buzzword used by growers and distributors of second-rate farm products to make them seem more attractive to consumers, and to make first-rate farm products seem worth the jacked-up prices you pay for them.

In reality, the word "organic" refers to any carbon-based compound originating in, or vital to, a living organism.

So when you see the word "organic" on a food package, all you can be assured of is that harmful chemicals have not been used in the production of that food within 30 days of it having been harvested.  The food itself is no more healthy or nutritious than food not bearing the "organic" label.

Thanks Fnord, so organic food is not real.

The food is real.  Labeling food as "Organic" is only a marketing scam.

That's not true. It's just an opinionated opinion.

I buy organic bananas because I like the taste better. I don't buy much organic produce, but I do think it is potentially healthier. Some vegetables and fruits are more contaminated than others (Google the "dirty dozen") but since I don't plan to live more than 5 more years, I don't worry about it.

Aside from any purported superiority of the food, another principal is that farm workers on an organic farm are going to be healthier for not being exposed to chemicals.

How you going know if it really organic or not? I buy organic bananas, blueberries,baby carrots & strawberries at ALDI.

There is some sort of organization that checks on farms to know that they are, or are not, continuing to have organic standards. To get certified "organic" in the first place, you have to meet certain standards.

I guess you can't know for 100% certain; on the other hand, I have not heard of any scandals involving fake organic farmers.

They test the soil and produce for synthetic fertilizer, pesticide and fungicide.To be certified the food and soil has to be free of these.
It’s the chemical residue that’s unhealthy, not the food.
Pesticides are bad for our pollinators, wildlife and us.

"Organic" produce and other ingredients are allegedly grown without the use of synthetic pesticides, sewage sludge, synthetic fertilizers, genetically modified organisms, bioengineering, or ionizing radiation.  With some minor exceptions, organic meat, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are not given antibiotics or growth hormones.

All of these added ingredients and add-ons increase the cost of production, so why do most foods labelled as "Organic" cost more than ordinary "tainted" foods that cost more to produce, and why do most of the fruits and vegetable sold as "Organic" look like they rolled around in the back of a pick-up truck on their way to market?

And if foods labelled as "Organic" are indistinguishable in appearance, taste, and nutritional value from their less-expensive counterparts, then who is to say that these "Organic" items have not received their certification by less-than-honest means?

Is it not strange that the same vendor selling beautiful "Organic" tomatoes at the local farmers' market was seen buying similarly beautiful, yet ordinary "tainted" tomatoes a day earlier at a local chain grocery store?

Someone is being scammed, and it certainly is not me.

I actually would like to see a source(s) on this, or is it just your curmudgeonly paranoia we're seeing?

Where I shop, both organic and conventional produce look healthy and taste good. I can't speak for where you shop. The produce (organic and conventional) at our farmer's markets looks better still. A vendor may have both organic and conventional produce, depending on the fields and processing centers they use, although I grant you most typically are one or the other.

Organic produce may cost a little more "because they can," or because it uses varieties that don't have such long shelf life, or because labor methods replace chemical methods for pest control, fertilization, etc.

Some foods have more than one organic certification from multiple labs.Hard to cheat.
I’m sure there are a few farmers that misrepresent their produce at the farmers market, I don’t think it’s a majority.My neighbors raised organic blueberries and they certified clean yearly.
I also grow my own food organically.You can use covers, lures and natural soaps to deter or eliminate pests.Some crops are easier than others.It’s no big deal for me to handpick the tomato hornworms off my few plants, another matter if it’s acres of tomatoes.

I'm really not sure.. I think the term organic is very loosely used and probably seldom foods are actually organic.. I guess theirs a difference in organic food and certified organic? I mean, in terms or appearance.. organic foods look different in the way of packaging and actual side by side comparison of the actual items .. weather or not this is practical to it being so.. I'm not quite sure.

There are some foods where I prefer organic, and some where I don't care so much (but I probably should).
I always get organic lettuce, because I can taste the pesticides on the other stuff and it's so gross.
I get organic carrots because they're barely more expensive anyway.

I would really like to get organic oats, because oats have some of the highest pesticide contents, but organic is a lot more expensive (and a tiny little container).

I started my groceries list, I always buy organic fruit & vegetables, blueberries, bananas, baby carrots, strawberry & avocados. I used to buy alot of vegetarian frozen meals.

You also pay a lot more for your groceries, as well.

But your body pays the price when you run Roundup through your bloodstream.
Pros and cons.