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 notdoing 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 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 3’s 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:Neither conventional nor organic dairy or meat products contain risky amounts of hormones, antibiotics, or pesticides. Where contamination 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 anymeat to a safe temperature will help to lower your risk!
- Bottom line:There is some benefit to buying organic but low-risk to not doing so. The difference may be more meaningful if you eat a-lot of meat, but most of us would benefit from decreasing our meat portions and upping our veggies anyway!
- 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.
- 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.
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. I always recommend that people print out the Environmental Working Group’s (https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary.php) 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.
2018 Dirty Dozen
- Sweet bell peppers
2018 Clean Fifteen
- Sweet corn
- Frozen sweet peas
- Honeydew melon
Bottom Line:Actually eating your 7-9 servings of fruit and vegetables is more important than how they are grown, but there may be some benefit to choosing organic – mainly in increased phytonutrient content and lower chemical exposure. If you’re trying to decide which fruits and vegetables to buy to limit herbicides and pesticides, try to prioritize those on the “Dirty Dozen” above. If you can’t find organic options for these, rinse them well with tap water before eating!
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