Continuing with our food theme for National Nutrition Month, here’s another eye-opener for you…
By D’Mine Columnist / Correspondent Wil Dubois
If it’s organic it must be more nutritious, right?
Probably not. And even if it is, what you have in your shopping cart isn’t as organic as you think it is.
Well, even if it’s not nutritious, it’s still worth paying more money to avoid chemicals, right?
Ummm… probably not. More on that in a minute.
But at least I’m supporting small farmers, yes?
Uhhh… No… You’re actually supporting Phillip Morris. Yeah, the cigarette guys. OK, look, I’m sorry. But there is no Santa Claus. There are no unicorns. The Tooth Fairy doesn’t exist. And organic is a lie. There. I said it.
Now I’m going to prove it.
Please see satellite images of the north pole here… What? Oh. You’re only interested in the whole organic thing? OK, but remember, like learning about Santa, unicorns, and the Tooth Fairy, the truth is going to hurt.
Let’s take a tour of Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, or even Albertson’s. Looking at the packages lining the shelves and freezers, we seem to have lots of wonderful, healthy, natural foods to choose from. Things that are kind to our bodies, our planet, and our fellow creatures.
Don’t believe everything you read. In fact, don’t believe anything that you read.
Label mythology
“Healthy” food label writing is an art form. It nearly rises to the level of the poetry printed on the back of wine bottles describing the flavors inside. But unlike “subtle notes of blackberry and undertones of chocolate;” phrases like “all natural,” “heart-healthy,” and “whole grain goodness” have more in common with literature than poetry, because these healthy labels frequently owe more to fiction than they do to fact.
The biggest offenders in this label fiction game are: “natural,” “free-range,” “humane,” and “hormone free.” They’re just words. Highly elastic marketing terms designed to trick you, to fool you into buying a product that isn’t really at all what you’re being lead to believe it is. These terms have no oversight, no law behind them.
Navigating the labels
But it’s not all smoke and mirrors, of course. The USDA organic seal is highly regulated (maybe too much so, as we’ll see in a moment), and the rules have teeth. If you use USDA’s Organic seal for a product that doesn’t meet the standards, you’re facing an $11,000 fine from the feds. For each violation.
There are actually three USDA organic categories, depending on just how organic a product is: 100% organic and 95% organic can use the forest-service green and brown USDA Organic seal on their packages; and if a product is at least 70% organic you can legally say “made with Organic Ingredients.” But if your product falls below the 70% threshold, use of “organic” is prohibited.
Even with all this government oversight, however, not all is what meets the eye. A “natural strawberry flavor” doesn’t necessarily mean an actual strawberry was used in its creation. It only signifies that the flavoring isn’t synthetic, but it can still be made from another natural substance altogether, like… say… corn.
For a guide to translating this Label Literature into plain English see this list, created by the prestigious EarthWatch Institute, of 27 different food labels seen in American grocery stores. Spoiler Alert: you’re about to find out that “cage free” eggs are fiction, “grass-fed” may be a joke, and that a pasture probably isn’t what you think it is. On the bright side, the Food Alliance Certified label is deemed “reliable.” But while “dolphin-safe” is true, “wild-caught” might not be. And don’t even get me started on how confusing the labels about hormones in milk are—they’re a blend of fact and fiction convoluted enough to rival the Blair Witch Project.
Not all “real” organic foods have labels
Confounding the issue of what’s real and what isn’t real, is the fact that the tight federal regulation of organic, according to Michael Pollan, author of the seminal food book The Omnivore’s Dilemma, has resulted in many small, legitimate organic farmers choosing to opt-out of the labeling system altogether, rather than jump through the government’s hoops to use the organic seal of approval. Some small farmers say that simply maintaining the FDA required paperwork would require them to hire a full-time person just to keep up with it.
Others go farther and claim the government’s regulations are designed to help big producers while placing small farms at a disadvantage, or that the legal requirements to call something “organic” aren’t nearly strict enough and they refuse to participate in protest. The USDA label mainly deals with fertilizers and pesticides; it still allows for a very long list of substances in foods that most of us would not regard as natural, including heavy chemicals and antibiotics. And “USDA Certified Organic” can still be treated with preservatives to get it to market while remaining “farm fresh.”
So on one hand, half the food labels cheat, lie, and stretch the truth; while on the other hand, some of the possibly most natural foods around aren’t labeled as such!
But suppose, just suppose, that you’ve successfully navigated the misleading marketing, creative fictions, and nebulous claims (with the help of the EarthWatch list above), and have scored a true naturally grown or raised food. It will cost you, at least half again as much as conventional foods, and in many cases twice as much. But the dent in your wallet has landed you healthier food, right?
The truth about (organic) nutrition
No. Probably not. No studies to date show that organically grown food is any more nutritious than conventionally grown food. In fact, the most rigorous study to date debunks that notion altogether. Bluntly put: whole food is whole food. We are completely lacking in any proof whatsoever that one carrot is more nutritious than another, or that lettuce grown on an industrial farm is any different than lettuce grown in your backyard; at least as far as food value goes. (Obviously, there are big differences in the ingredients in processed foods, making some much healthier than others, but that’s outside the “organic” realm we’re addressing here.)
What about pesticides?
Of course, there’s one other issue that’s a soap box for the organic industry, and that’s pesticides — chemicals used to protect crops in the fields from insects. True organic veggies are grown without pesticides, and are therefore billed as healthier, although research shows a good washing under tap water removes most pesticide residue. There’s room for common sense, too, as my sister likes to say, “Who cares if it’s organic if you’re going to peel it before you eat it?”
But for those still on the fence about pesticides, the controversial research and lobbying organization Environmental Working Group has produced a list they call the Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15 that advocates a split-shopping approach: buy organic for the foods that tend to contain the highest level of pesticides, and buy conventional in the produce that runs the lowest in pesticides. Their list guides you as to which are which.
The real winners and losers
So much for Santa and unicorns. What about the Tooth Fairy?
If you want to support small farmers, your best bet may be a local farmer’s market. You’ll have to look the farmer in the eye and ask him about pesticides and fertilizers and decide if he (or she) is telling the truth. But if you’re going to Whole Foods Market for lettuce, you’re more likely to be helping a company called EarthBound, rather than Farmer Brown. According to Pollan, EarthBound is the largest supplier of organic lettuce in the United States, with a whopping 80% market share. Organic is big businesses.
It’s true. Consider that Back to Nature, maker of assorted granola-type-stuff that is now owned by Kraft Foods (of blue box Kraft Mac n’ Cheese fame) who are themselves owned by… you guessed it… cigarette conglomerate Phillip Morris.
I find all of the issues related to the food industry very depressing – Kraft and Nestle, which have a ridiculous monopoly over the entire food industry, the environmental and ecological effects of large corporations’ growing, producing, packaging and transporting practices, how labeling seems to become a bigger mess every year, and the government’s role in all of it. To the government’s credit, at least there are standards because I think our food supply would be less safe without them, but in the end, I think the government has created at least as many problems as it’s solved with such things as subsidies due to the food industry’s lobbying presence. Every time I read or watch anything related to it, I wish I had the time and energy to grow, raise and make my own food because the systemic nature of the problem seems so hopelessly beyond repair, and I think we pay for it, not just from our wallets, but with our health and the destruction of the environment..
I don’t always buy organic, but when I do, I do it to protect the environment and the field workers more than to protect myself. Pesticides and fertilizers wash into waterways. And those fertilizers in particular create dead zones in the ocean. Agricultural employees exposed to large amounts of pesticides can develop health problems as can their children.
I can recall back in the 1990′s when the USDA proposed regulating the term “organic”. Up until that point, organic meant largely a self-regulated term and a few others such as Oregon Tilth standards which pretty much defined the term “organic”, and if I can say it, did a pretty fine job. But then the Feds wanted in, and initially, Big-Agri wanted to permit all kinds of crap allowed under the term “organic” that organic farmers and consumers fought hard to keep out. But you point out one of the biggest holes in that, which is that many smaller farmers concluded having the USDA organic certification wasn’t worth the effort simply to have the USDA badge on there. However, many still qualify for inclusion by certain retailers who maintain fairly strict purchasing standards (Whole Foods comes to mine). The bottom line is that I think Federal regulators ruined what was a fairly self-policed term that worked prior to that. The next step in this is that the Federal regs should make the process much easier.
Great post, Wil!
As always there is much more to the story than what’s on the label.
Reminds me of nutrition labels – how can there be “X” grams of carb in my bread/cereal/juice/milk every time?
i don’t agree when he says if you buy food that has pesticides that you can just wash them off this is misleading.common since tells you that the spray wont just get on the plant,but will get onto the soil thus also into the ground where the plant will absorb it into itself.
Thank you!!!! It is about time that the whole “organic” scam is revealed for what it is, bunk! I always tell people that if it doesn’t glow in the dark, then it is organic!
I have seen too many charlatans make people feel better about themselves while fleecing their pocketbooks! They are “sold” on the “family farm” aspect when it is not true as you so aptly stated.
We have one rancher who pushes “grass fed organic beef” from his “family ranch”. What he fails to share is that he is one of the worst if not the worst stewards of the land in the area. He also fails to mention that this is his hobby and his family has outside investments that are not in any way “green”.
Thank you, thank you….finally someone who wrote an article such as this for something other than an agricultural publication!
You left off a very important reason to choose organic: pesticides and fertilizers are terrible for the environement (contaiminating drinking water supplies, feminizing frogs and fish, eutrophication, ect). Also, if you care about animal welfare, organic has certain standards such as required access to outdoors. Sure labling is misleading, but in the absence of other information it is wise to choose organic. Athough a good idea, Its not always practical to talk to your farmer. I sure wish your article would have covered the full spectrum of issues.
I don’t disagree with most of this, but it’s not the whole story. There are studies that show eating organic food can reduce children’s exposure to pesticides, see: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18414640.
The pesticides they tested for in that study, organophosphorous pesticides, are toxic to the immune system (see http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12739880) and also may be linked to prediabetes and obesity (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20850519). Avoiding pesticide exposure is especially important for pregnant women and children.
Not all organic food is created equal, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t support the good organic farmers when we find them.
Hi, Would you please write about this sometime.
“there’s only so much insulin your tissues can absorb in one shot”. Literally.
Thanks
Modern pesticides are water soluble. When spraying a field, the desired effect is deter insects from munching on the crop. With modern pesticides all it takes is one quick spray and insects are either dead or immediately deterred. Rain water then dissolves the pesticide to a point that could never be harmful. Everyone should do their homework before making comments about an industry they aren’t even a part of nor do they have knowledge of. Say what you want about Kraft and the likes but they have managed to feed our growing population, which by the way is the third largest in the world, all while improving our GDP and increasing the standard of living in the US.
@ Michael. Making a statement that modern pesticides are harmless to our water supply and aquatic life is quite the claim and I doubtful that it is actually true. If you are so sure of this please cite your source of information.
@ michael. Another point, it is foolish to assume that any chemical that is released into the environment in large quantities is benign. Just because no deliterious effects have been found yet doesn’t mean something won’t come up later after years of use. Decades went by before the effects of ddt were noticed and then banned. I also don’t understand your statement about how “rainwater dissolves it to the point it could never be harmful”- seems to go against the concept of non-point source pollution.
Hey cj, I’m sorry that you don’t agree with me. Now I must say that I did not mean to say dissolve, I meant to say degrade. Modern pesticides degrade to point where they don’t harm the surrounding environment. Obviously they do harm the environment in large quantities, but why would a farmer spend more money to spray large amounts of pesticides when they could just spend less, spray less and have the same effect. It sounds like you may be a supporter of all natural, organic pesticides. If you are, you should know that organic pesticides and organic fertilizer are responsible for most of the food borne illnesses of the recent past including several deaths in Germany due to salmonella infected spinach. Next, the effects of DDT were immediate. In the early 20th century, the average life expectancy was increasing so research into potential effects of chemicals was of no concern to producers or health organizations. The writer of this article most likely left the subject of pesticides out because they aren’t as big a problem as people and organic pushers make it out to be. Finally, this is a response to an article, not a scientific statement being published in a journal, hence I don’t need to cite my sources nor do I need to go into detail about my work with various farmers associations in Central Illinois.
I wasn’t clear about my point on DDT. I meant finish it with saying that Because there was no research into chemicals like DDT we never even knew there was a problem until many years later
Your article is misleading and irresponsible. It risks making people feel more complacent about their choices. The fact that big multinationals own almost everything is ALL THE MORE REASON to fight by boycotting them and buying from local farmers. Consumers have tremendous power. Also, diligence in label reading goes a very long way. If people have the will to eat healthy, they should – and they should also be encouraged to do so, particularly by people of influence. Why don’t you write another piece on practical ways that people can succeed in buying organic? That will be far more beneficial for everyone.
I completely agree with the statement that we should be buying from local Farmers Markets. It is not true that it is more expensive – it just takes a bit more effort. Its my body and no one else is putting the effort into taking care of me except myself. I love the relationships that I have developed with my greens guy, my fruit guy and all of the other committed farmers that I meet every week. It make cooking for my family a true joy!
I understand that we all need to think critically about this issue, but to state that “Organic is a lie” is really pushing it.
I completely agree with your statements about confusing labeling, particularly when it comes to ‘natural’ ingredients or ‘free range’ eggs/meat. I hear what you’re saying about organic farmers opting not to participate in the government’s labeling system; I regularly buy from local farmers where this is the case. However, I don’t think that chastising people for trying to find a healthier option is the best way to make your point. ‘Organic’ is not a lie.
Organics are clearly better for the health of our environment and bodies. Pick up a book if you truly think otherwise. If you want to believe you can peel off pesticides (surely none of those pesticides got into the water that was used by the plant to produce the fruit within the peel) be my guest.
Another thought – we have to remember how lucky we are if we have a choice between organic and conventional; this isn’t an argument that everyone can have. I hope that those who have the luxury of making a choice about how they eat try to do what is right for the world outside of their own kitchen.
Yes, labeling is confusing. However, this isn’t a reason to throw up our hands and give up on attempting to eat clean and eat well.