Top 3 Myths about Organic Food

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Is organic really a better option, or are these just the myths? Some of the myths about organic foods are:

1. No Exposure of Organic Food to Pesticides

This isn’t true. Although organic foods do not involve the use of synthetic pesticides or herbicides but their farming requires “natural” pesticides. Non-organic herbicides are being used in organic farming and 20 such chemicals are approved by the US Organic Standards in growth of these crops.  It is found that, in comparison to conventional farming, organic farming uses double the amount of copper and Sulphur organic fungicides. The difference comes at the origin of pesticide not the use of pesticides. Pesticides are commonly used in organic framing as well but unlike conventional farming pesticides are originated from natural resources.

2. Organic Food is Safe and Healthy

It is believed that organic farming methods with GMO free chemicals used are safer and healthier to consume. Studies from around the world show that no strong evidence about the national value of organic foods has been found. Levels of over 15 different nutrients including calcium, carotene and vitamin C showed no difference in both. Although, conventional crops reported increased level of nitrates and organic foods had elevated phosphorous level. 

However, level of overall fat was found increased in organic foods. Moreover, alarming news is that, not all natural pesticides used in the growth and processing of organic crops are safe. For example, rotenone is an organic pesticide used in US since years. A study shows that even though rotenone is produced naturally yet it is found to cause symptoms like Parkinson's disease in rats. Thus, it can be said with complete surety that organic is safe to use.

3. Organic does not Taste Good

Do organic foods taste not taste good? That is not true because various consumers of organic food say that one of the major reasons to buy organic food is their “better taste”. Based on various taste tests done on organic and conventional foods, an average person cannot really differentiate between both. Although there might be a difference as both are grown differently, but organic in no way tastes bad. Several studies show no considerable difference in taste and it is very rare that organic food is found to have a bad taste in comparison to those grown conventionally. Rather organic is known to have a longer shelf life with great storage properties.

 

References

Locke, R. (2018). 10 Myths About Organic Food Debunked. Life Hack.

Dangour et al, A. D. (2010). Nutrition-related health effects of organic foods: a systematic review. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition , 92 (1): 203–210.

Caboni et al, P. (2004). Rotenone, Deguelin, Their Metabolites, and the Rat Model of Parkinson's Disease. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry , 17 (11):1540-1548.


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