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Friday, November 02, 2007 7:08 PM

When is organic worth the extra $?

If you’re worried about the effects of pesticides on our bodies and our planet you’ve probably, like me, been caught up in the organic food craze—and we’re not alone.  Organic milk has become so popular that some stores can’t keep it in stock, and dairies can’t convert to organic practices fast enough to satisfy demand.  But you’ve no doubt felt the effects of buying organic on your grocery receipts.  It’s almost always more expensive, often way more, to buy food produced without pesticides, hormones and antibiotics.

Although I try to buy organic everything, sometimes I cut corners to save a little dough.  This Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce lists which fruits and veggies have the most (and least) residual pesticides, which is very useful if you’re trying to decide which organic fruits and veggies are worth spending more for.  Typically things with thick peels that you don’t eat (like bananas and avocados) are safer because not as much pesticide residue reaches the fruit underneath.  Of course, spraying these items with pesticides still damages the environment, but eating them probably poses less of a health risk for you than eating things like strawberries and grapes where you consume the peel too.  The New York Times also ran a piece recently about when it’s most crucial to choose organic at the supermarket.

One thing I’m pretty vigilant about is organic dairy. The hormones that are given to dairy cows are suspected to be one of the causes of premature puberty in kids and who-knows-what hormonal problems in adults. But when I can’t find organic cheese (often less available than organic milk for some reason) I at least look for cheese marked “No Bovine Growth Hormone” or cheese made in Europe, where cows aren’t injected with BGH.

But aside from issues of health and budget, I also prefer to buy organic because I simply think it tastes better.  What about you—when do you think it’s worth it to go organic and when does it feel like a waste of money?

Posted by Nest Celeste
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Comments

re: When is organic worth the extra $?

Celeste, as a dairy farmer I must protest to your blanket and misinformed comments.  First off let me tell you that although I am a dairy farmer my comments are not based on some backwoods, redneck farm gossip.  I graduated with my Bachelors degree from one of the finest dairy and animal sciences Universities in the country (Washington State University), so my corrections to you are indeed based on cutting edge technology and science as well as personal experience that I'm sure extends farther than you Googling organics and choosing the milk carton with the cute black and white cow grazing on green grass.

The facts is there are over 40 naturally occurring hormones in every glass of milk you drink, whether organic or not, milk (yours, a cows, a whales) contain hormones.  Secondly, this "Bovine Growth Hormone” or BGH that you rant about does not exist.  What you may be thinking of is rBST or Bovine Somatotropin.  BST is already in the organic milk you drink and rBST is a version of the natural, organic hormone that can safely be given to cows so they may eat more and reach there genetic potential for milk production.  rBST leaves no residue in milk and it is not an antibiotic (shipping milk which contains any antibiotic is illegal for any dairy farmer, organic or not, and every shipment of milk is tested for antibiotics before it leaves the farm).  Also, if you go beyond Google and read any scientific findings you would see that rBST has not been found to be harmful or cause premature puberty to humans in any way.  I'm sure I know more dairy farmers than you, and the last thing any farmer, whether organic, not organic, 100 cows or 10,000 cows wants to do is hurt those who drink his product.

I refer you to http://www.rbstfacts.org/rbst-resources.html which has links to scientific findings about rBST from groups like the American Cancer Society, the US Surgeon General, and the Children's Nutrition Research Center.  Please, don't spread food gossip, when your facts just aren't correct.  

Posted by edahl    Monday, November 05, 2007 11:11 AM


re: When is organic worth the extra $?

I feel like organic foods, whether the scientific claims support it or not, are better for us just for the pure reason that the less synthetic substances we ingest, the better off we are.  I prefer putting natural foods into my body whenever possible.  If there is any sort of controversy around a substance (whether it be BGH, rBST, etc.), why risk it?  I know that there are plenty of instances where those substances will make their way into our food, but that is no reason not to try to control it as much as possible.  As for cost, I would usually prefer to trade off foods that may not be as healthy for organic, even if that means I am taking home less.

Posted by stephraeann    Monday, November 05, 2007 9:43 PM


re: When is organic worth the extra $?

A:  When you are 33 and are planning on having a family later.

I have been reading and am scared shi*tless about the garbage that I am consuming that could affect my chances of conceiving.  I now buy fertile eggs, eat tons of virbant fruit from local farmers and have started to consume more organic products in the hopes that it will keep my DNA and my body in the best condition possible.  The extra money I think is worth it...better to spend a few hundred dollars now, than over $20K for ingfertility treatments later.  

Posted by mari9142    Tuesday, November 13, 2007 10:20 PM


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