TYH: What are you paying for when you purchase “Organic”

Feb 5, 2020 | 12:34 PM

I’ve been an organic buyer for quite some time now, I personally believe that having that organic label will ensure that my food is more “pure” and less processed than non-organic foods.

So I wanted to know, if what I believed was true, or if I’d just been lying to myself this entire time. Let’s first start with the definition of the word organic.

Organic is defined as food, or farming methods produced or involving production without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides or other artificial agents.

We spoke with Beth Oehler, a local Registered Dietitian who gave us a bit of a history lesson.

“Organic, as we know it now, was a movement that started around the 1940’s” said Oehler, “people started to be concerned about the means that were being taken in the agricultural industry. There was concern about the potential ecological impact or impact on human health.”

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As for health benefits, between organic and conventional (non-organic) foods, Oehler says there isn’t really a clear answer.

“Unfortunately it’s the case with a lot of nutrition questions that we have today that there is not necessarily a really clear black or white answer.”– Beth Oehler, Registered Dietitian

But there have been some studies done that have found some differences between the two, finding that there are more healthy fats in organic foods, no antibiotics or synthetics or hormones, fewer to no pesticides and sometimes an increase in antioxidants.

So we determined that the choice is ultimately up to consumers, and how they feel about the subject. In next week’s TYH we’ll look at just how much more you may be paying for “organic”.

by Veronica Beltran

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TYH: What are you paying for when you purchase “Organic”

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