Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Organic Food and Why it IS Healthier!

Many of you may have read that there is a new study out that claims there is "no evidence of a health benefit attached to organic foods."
source
Before I get into that I'd like to point out that Grunenthal told people that Thalidomide was safe for pregnant women.  Now, 50 years later they are apologizing for the birth defects that their drug caused.

The FDA says that Propecia, a drug for hair-loss, is safe for men.  However, one of the side effects is severe depression even after the patient discontinues use of the drug.

When Monsanto was blamed for Colony Collapse Disorder, which has killed Millions of Honeybees around the world, their answer was to Buy the Research Firm.

With that said, It is very important that we all do our own research.  People lie.  More importantly, companies with millions (and billions) of dollars at stake will do and say just about anything to sell you something.  Whether you need it or not!

Now, just because something is "organic" does not mean it is healthy.  Sugar is organic but to some it is poison.  As one yahoo article states, "The new study in the Annals reported that consumption of organic fruits and vegetables did reduce exposure to pesticide residues by roughly 30 percent overall. For whatever it's worth, pesticide levels were generally within the allowable limits for safety for the conventionally grown foods."

Reduced pesticide exposure by 30 Percent!!!  I would say that would be Healthier!
Dwarf Pak Choy
In an article at Eating Well:
"It’s a difference in soil fertility, says Mitchell: “With organic methods, the nitrogen present in composted soil is released slowly and therefore plants grow at a normal rate, with their nutrients in balance. Vegetables fertilized with conventional fertilizers grow very rapidly and allocate less energy to develop nutrients.” 

source
I won't even go into GMO food because I've discussed them MANY times HERE.

I didn't see in this article about the effect to our environment between organic and traditional methods.  The current administration in Washington has rid the planet of over the counter asthma inhalers (Which have saved my husband's life) but they allow pesticides to be sprayed by the hundreds of gallons everyday.  

According to Kids for Saving the Earth, the potential side effects of pesticides are:
-Asthma
-Birth Defects
-Neurological effects
-Cancer
-Hormone Disruption

I'm not saying I only eat organic.  My garden is as Organic as it can be.  I use NO pesticides or chemicals.  We try and eat as healthy as possible and we don't eat out.  Sometimes we are in a hurry and I'm famished but I'd rather whip something up at home than poison myself with crap fast-food.

The moral of the story?  Don't believe everything you read.  Don't be a sheep!  Do your own research and do what you think is best, not what someone else tells you is best.

10 comments:

Katie Drane said...

Thank you so much for posting this! I saw the same report and couldn't believe anyone would try to claim that organic food wasn't better. Crazy. Blog Hop Social:)

Katie
www.funhomethings.com

Mary Smith said...

Thanks Katie! I'm your newest follower.
Food is a topic that really fires me up. Check out The Politics of Food if you have a minute.
http://back2basichealth.blogspot.com/2012/04/politics-of-food.html

Mamal Diane said...

Great post. I totally agree. How can organic not be better for you? Crazy. We need to use our own brain for a change! Hope you'll link up sometime at my Tuesday linky party called The Gathering Spot.

Corso Mama said...

Great post. I buy organic whenever possible and don't do fast food, either. Bleh! My garden didn't do so hot this time around bc I had several surgeries and wasn't able to properly tend to it, but normally we grow fruits and veggies.

I look forward to reading more of your blog. Come by and see us sometime!

http://acorsointhekitchen.blogspot.com/

Earning-My-Cape said...

Great post!
It's incredible how many things out there are "safe" only to find that they aren't. :-(
Thanks for sharing with my Super Link Party! :-)

Unknown said...

Awesome post! Great information!
-Sarah
pampereddaughterthriftywife@blogspot.com

Adorned From Above said...

This is a great post. Great information. Thank you so much for sharing with Wednesdays Adorned From Above Link Party last week. This weeks Link Party is opened at
http://www.adornedfromabove.com/2012/09/reeses-smore-brownies-and-wednesdays.html
from Wednesday until Sunday.
Hope to see you there.
Debi Bolocofsky
Adorned From Above
www.adornedfromabove.com

Anonymous said...

Yes! I couldn't agree more! My husband and I were so frustrated by these claims recently. Unbelievable! What's healthier? Eating chemicals or NOT eating chemicals? Hmmmm...
Don't get me started! Anyway, love Your site! New follower here from aloha Friday!
Follow backs always appreciated!
~alli

petitehermine said...

I totally agree. I think the media has totally misrepresented that study, which was a study of the combination of lots of previous studies on the pros/cons of organic food. It mentioned that on a vitamin level, some organic foods may not have more or less than non-organic foods, but on the pesticide level, organic foods obviously have much less. But when you lump all of the studies together and make one study of it, the results seem to say that overall, organic is not better or worse. I personally don't care whether there are more vitamins or not in organic foods, I just don't want to eat more pesticides. In that respect, organic foods are much better!

Becca said...

Good info. Thanks for sharing at A Humble Bumble!