In praise of organic food

We have all heard of organic food, food produced with either no or minimal toxic chemicals, food "the way nature intended it to be". Organic food is in fact exactly how humans have eaten for millenia, it is only since the 20th Century that "conventional" food as we know it, involving toxic and polluting synthetic chemicals in the form of pesticides, insecticides, and fertilisers, and ghastly factory farming, all collectively known as intensive farming, have existed. This article explains not only why organic is best, but also suggests where to get organic.

What makes food organic

In practice, only a limited amount of synthetic pesticides can be used but not routinely. Animal welfare standards are much more rigorous too and the routine usage of antibiotics in animals is also prohibited. Genetic modification, irradiation, and chemical ripening are forbidden from being certified as organic in most countries, and foods modified with nanotechnology are not recognised as organic in the UK.

The standards can vary from country to country so you will need to check what qualifies as organic in your own country, and how much of the ingredients need to be organic (some non-organic ingredients may be permitted, check the label as well). In the UK, the main certification body for organic produce is the Soil Association, and in France the certification body is Agence Française pour le développement et la promotion de l'agriculture biologique (or "Agence Bio" for short).

The ideal organic food is grown with only natural fertiliser or seeds, and no pesticides (making use of natural alternatives such as attracting predators of the pests). In addition for animal products such as milk or cheese, the animals must be treated well. The best way to achieve this is to grow (or rear) your own if practical, and at the very least one can grow one's own fruit (where climate permits) and vegetables. Otherwise buying organic produce directly from local farmers in farmers' markets or arranging deliveries of organic produce is also recommended. If this is not possible then one can buy organic in supermarkets or shops, if the produce is available in organic.

Better for the planet

It is better for the planet as a whole. Getting rid of artificial pesticides and fertilisers removes pollutants and toxins which would otherwise risk entering thewater supply, but whether they are in the water supply, on the food, or in the ground, this is bad for human health, and all wildlife in the ecosystem.

Countless creatures have already been poisoned by pesticides, including bees poisoned directly by the chemical cocktails in the farmland including pesticides sprayed, and eagles and other creatures at the top of the food chain have been poisoned indirectly as a result of eating poisoned prey. We are also affected by pesticides too, which is explained in the section "Better for our health (not just nutrition)".

If organic farming was used everywhere, all life (and human health) will benefit from a better ecosystem all round. And as an added bonus, more wildlife can appear in the farm, or garden. This can also play a major role in helping to save the bees, and other creatures affected by pesticide usage. There are a limited number of pesticides which are permitted in some organic produce sold in supermarkets and shops for some products, but the usage is restricted and only as a last resort. The best is for no pesticides to be used at all.

Similarly using natural fertiliser instead of artificial fertiliser, one eliminates the risk of excess nitrates which causes eutrophication resulting in algae blooms (which in turn results in a severely reduced quality of water and reduced oxygen in the water amongst other things). In summary, air, water and ground pollution is minimised with organic produce. Being better for the environment is probably the overriding benefit of organic food, but not the only benefit.

Better for animal welfare

It is better for animal welfare. In organic farms, there are strict animal welfare standards. For example, cows treated well and living a relaxed life, and eating their natural food, grass, will produce high quality milk (in terms of taste and nutrition). As there is no routine usage of antibiotics and other harmful chemicals, the residues of these chemicals do not appear in the organic milk consumed either.

Animals should only be fed what they naturally eat, for example grass and clover for cows and other grazing animals. This means no GM, no soya (which could even come from the Amazon), no grains or anything found in intensive factory farming. And animals should also spend as much time as possible outdoors, as required in organic standards. All animal products benefit from going organic, not just dairy produce.

Better for our health (not just nutritionally)

It is better for our health. We have already stated the environmental benefits of not having pesticides, and pesticides have also been linked to numerous long-term health problems, an article explaining this is shown here. Remember that because we humans are at the top of the food chain, more pesticides accumulate in us (and in other creatures at the top of the food chain too) than they do in creatures lower in the food chain.

By going organic one eliminates the risk of getting illness due to the cumulative effects of pesticides. By eating conventional foods, we risk adding a whole cocktail of chemicals in our body, as referenced in our previous article "Avoiding harmful chemicals" and demonstrated in the Guardian article Chemical World: Part 2 itself.

For "conventional" inorganic food, the nutrient quantity has declined since the 1940s. There are studies which have shown that there is nutritional benefit such as a higher amount of Omega-3, beta-carotene, Vitamin E (50% more), and antioxidants in organic milk as shown here and here.

The benefits of organic milk were confirmed as part of a four-year EU-funded study, called the Quality Low Input Food project, it was found that 40% more antioxidants can be found in organic fruit and vegetables compared to conventional fruit and vegetables. In addition to the benefits in organic milk, it was also stated that organic potatoes, kiwi fruit and carrots are higher in Vitamin C, and organic spinach, lettuce, and cabbage are also higher in minerals and antioxidants, as reported here.

Nutrition is not the only reason, or even the main reason for going organic. Artificial flavours, colours, and preservatives which can cause varying problems are also banned in organic food, this can only be good for our health and wellbeing as well.

Tastes better

Organic food really does taste better. From personal experience I have tried organic bananas and conventional bananas. Although organic bananas are smaller, they are a lot sweeter and the texture is very different compared to conventionally grown bananas. Even though taste is a subjective matter, foods sprayed with pesticides and grown with artificial fertiliser cannot surely taste the same as their organically grown equivalents. In blind taste tests, organic apples were found to be sweeter and to have a texture either firmer or as firm as conventional apples.

Why organic costs more

The reason why organic produce costs significantly more to buy is because organic farming is not subsidised by government at all, whereas agrichemical based conventional farming is heavily subsidised by governments through the taxpayer. As a result it is nearly impossible for organic producers to sell their produce at a competitive price.

If organic farming was subsidised by the taxpayer, then the prices would come down for organic produce.  However, it is fairer to remove all subsidies for conventional farming, which would save a lot of taxpayers money, and ensure that all farmers and other producers worldwide (not only organic farmers and producers) can also trade fairly.

Despite this, the organic food market has grown globally, and it is estimated that organic sales were $51 billion (€39.5 billion, £33.4 billion) in 2010 which is an increase from an estimated $33 billion (€25.5 billion, £21.6 billion) as mentioned here, sales in the UK alone was €2.4 billion (£2 billion) in 2007 as shown here, and in France the sales were €2.6 billion (£2.2 billion) in 2010, with the market share now at 2.6% of the food market in France, as mentioned here.

Due to the current expense of buying organic food, it is worth noting that one can buy the following non-organic foods as well (check that they are GM free, not irradiated, and free of artificial additives as well). These are aubergines, peppers, cabbages, frozen peas, garlic, leeks, marrow, radishes, swedes, sweetcorn, and turnips, as quoted from "20 ways to cut out chemicals from our food", an article written as part of the Guardian's Chemical World Part 2 special report.

Beware of articles criticising organic

We need to be careful what we read, because there is a lot of misinformation being spread, claiming that organic has no benefits, and there have even been articles in the media attacking organic products. Those who have a vested interest in undermining organic food are those who wish to promote GM and continue to sell chemical fertilisers and pesticides, chiefly agribusiness, elements of the chemical industry, and their backers. Those who criticise organic are either deliberately or unwittingly supporting those with a vested interest in agribusiness.

One has to consider who is writing the article and who sponsored any studies quoted, who even funds the think tanks concerned.  Indeed the same policy applies as per our previous article on how to read health articles.

What you can do

Support your local organic farmers. Try to buy local where practical, or with minimal travelling distance too. If it is practical, you can even see if you can get regular deliveries of fresh organic produce. Otherwise organic produce is available in most supermarkets. Fresh, organic, seasonal, and local produce is always the best. Otherwise organic with minimal distance travelled for foods where it is not practical to grow locally (e.g. mangos in northern France or the UK).

Protect and support organic food and organic farming, it is the best way to avoid harmful chemicals when eating, and best for the environment. Demand complete labelling on all food (whether organic or not) so we know if non-organic food has GM ingredients, or has been irradiated, fumigated, or otherwise treated with substances such as sulphur dioxide. Do not buy any GM or irradiated foods.

Stick to organic where possible, and only eat the non-organic goods with as little pesticides as possible if you can't find certain foods that are organic, but above all buy fresh and remember that local is best as well (because food imported from abroad could be fumigated or treated with sulphur dioxide, even if organic). Remember also to follow the 20 tips shown here, the complete links are given in our previous article "Avoiding harmful chemicals". Above all, nutritious and healthy organic food should be part of a healthy lifestyle.

What would be the ideal is for all food and drink to be organic as standard.

Useful links and resources

• Avoiding Harmful Chemicals
• Tips for eliminating harmful chemicals in food and drink
• Food suppliers (includes organic suppliers)
• Farmers markets, community food, and other useful links
• Soil Association
• Agence Bio

It is worth doing an online search for your local farmers market where organic produce is sold, for organic farmers from whom you can buy organic produce, and for farmers who can deliver organic produce to your home (box delivery schemes in the UK for example).