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Organic worthwhile?

Organic food is reputedly healthier and more nutritious. It's also more expensive. We find out if buying organic is worth the extra money...

The idea of living the good life, eating naturally grown produce and being kind to the environment is an appealing one. Which is why the market for organic food is booming. After all, organically grown food is said to be healthier for us than food that has been injected, sprayed and made to look beautiful.

And yet, incorporating organic food into our daily diets is not as easy as we might hope. For a start, it's more expensive and not as widely available as conventionally produced food. So, is it worth the extra time and money to go organic?

What is organic?
Organic farming is nothing new. It’s simply a return to farming principles and techniques in use before the introduction of modern chemicals and farming methods. Organic farming avoids the use of manufactured fertilisers, pesticides and other additives such as growth hormones and antibiotics. It also takes the environment into account by using farming techniques such as crop rotation.

Anything from fruit and vegetables to meat, dairy and even wine can be produced organically. If a product is organic it will have an organic accreditation number or logo printed on the label. At present, South African organic farmers are certified by a number of established European and South African certification bodies. Look out for labels with accreditation from Ecocert, Afrisco, SGS, BDOCA, the Soil Association or BCS, which all comply with European Union regulations.

Organic farms have to be worked according to organic principles for a period of up to three years before they can be accredited. These farms are monitored frequently during the conversion period from conventional farming methods to organic. After the first year of this conversion process, produce from these farms will be labelled ‘organic in conversion'.

Organic fruit and vegetables
Perhaps the most obvious and appealing advantage of organically produced fruit and vegetables is that they contain lower levels of pesticides and chemicals. However, the Institute of Food Science and Technology in the United Kingdom says that organic food can never be defined as being entirely pesticide free.

Legislation specifies that land must be free from chemical inputs for two years prior to organic production. But, the possible presence of pesticide residues from previous land use means low levels of pesticides can be found in certain organically grown food. Food produced and sold during the conversion process is obviously also higher in chemical residues. But why are pesticides considered dangerous?

So far there is limited evidence to prove a direct link between dietary pesticide and illness but the British Medical Association does recommend a cautionary attitude towards ingesting any form of chemicals until more evidence is available. Rather, pesticides may damage the plant itself, causing it to be less nutritious than plants not treated with pesticides. Tests conducted on organically grown berries and corn show that they contain up to 58 per cent more polyphenolics, compounds that act as antioxidants and may protect against heart disease and cancer.

Organic produce has also been found to have more ascorbic acid, which the body converts into vitamin C. The Soil Association, the biggest organic certification body in the UK, has found that organic produce contains higher levels of magnesium, iron and other minerals. This could be because plants make vitamins, minerals, polyphenolics and other antioxidants to protect themselves against pests and disease. When a plant is sprayed with pesticide it stops the plant having to produce these substances naturally.

Organic meat
Organic meat is becoming more widely available in South Africa. Organic livestock farmers raise animals on organic feed, which is free of any genetic modification. When sick, organic livestock may only be treated with permissible homeopathic remedies. No drugs, hormones, steroids, stimulants, antibiotics or other artificial substances may be used in the farming process. In conventional animal husbandry, antibiotics are used to treat and prevent disease in animals and also to promote growth.

There has been concern about the effect of antibiotics on humans and fears that they reduce the body's natural capacity to fight infection. The routine use of antibiotics to enhance growth in farm animals can encourage the growth of drug-resistant bacteria, which may threaten people who undercook their meat or consume contaminated food or water.

An antibiotic- resistant strain of the common intestinal bacterium E coli was recently found to have caused many urinary tract infections that resisted treatment. Researchers suspect that people may have picked up the resistant strain from food. However, because of this, the use of antibiotics has been much reduced in conventional agriculture and is far less of an issue than it used to be.

Organic or free range?
It is important to note that organic animals are not necessarily the same as free-range animals. All free-range animals live natural lives, roaming free, interacting with one another and eating only plant-based foods.

The same goes for organic animals. The difference is that animals classified as free range may be treated with conventional veterinary methods when sick. In addition, while free-range animals eat only plant-based foods, these are COM not necessarily organically produced and may include artificial additives.

Caring for the environment
Apart from health benefits, many people choose organic because they are concerned about the impact of conventional farming methods on the earth. Organic farming builds soil fertility and minimises pollution and damage to the environment. It works with rather than against the earth's natural systems, seasons and cycles. It respects the wellbeing of animals. Buying organic produce is a way for individuals to feel they are contributing to the welfare of our planet.

The problem with organic
If organic food were widely available and cost the same as conventionally produced food, most people wouldn't hesitate to choose it. But organically produced food is still only available at specific outlets and can be pricey. In South Africa, producing food organically is expensive and time-consuming. It's more labour intensive and both the start-up and certification processes are expensive.

Because there is no artificial intervention in the growing process, farm yields are often lower and less predictable. Organic products are also not consistently available because organic farmers work with natural systems and therefore the supply of produce is entirely dependent on nature's cycles.

Organic or not?
Going organic is a mind-set and a way of life. Organic farming is better for the environment and has been shown to have added health benefits. Some insist that organic food also tastes better. At the same time, conventional methods of farming are improving. Fewer hormones and antibiotics are used and there is no conclusive evidence about the exact damage pesticides may cause to humans. Organic produce does contain extra vitamins and minerals but that is not to say conventionally produced food doesn't contain enough of the good stuff we need. In the end it's a matter of choice about whether you're prepared to spend the extra money and make the effort that going organic requires.

Image from: True Love magazine