A recent study out of Stanford sought to answer the
often-asked question of whether or not organic food is more nutritious than
their conventional alternatives?
According to the authors of the study:
The published
literature lacks strong evidence that organic foods are significantly more
nutritious than conventional foods. Consumption of organic foods may reduce
exposure to pesticide residues and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. [1]
Those last two bits of information (pesticides and
antibiotics) are no small matter and may be hidden by the headlines making the
rounds that organic is not more nutritious than conventional foods. The fiber, vitamin and mineral content
of an organic strawberry may be the same as a conventionally grown strawberry
but does that mean it’s a healthier option? If I provided you the choice between two glasses of water
one with no poison (pesticide) and the other with just a drop of poison what
option would you choose?
And while that watered down drop of poison may not harm you
right away if you continued to take a drop each day for twenty years is it
possible even likely that overtime you may build up a toxic load that would
eventually make you sick? This may
be the strongest argument against consuming conventionally grown and raised
food.
And the authors of the study point out that no long-term
exposure was measured for this study.
The reason I choose to eat organic and pasture raised foods over
conventional and factory farm foods is one of safety and sustainability. For the sake of furthering this discussion
assume that there is no difference in the nutrient content of organic foods and
those that are grown or produced conventionally. Does this mean
that the conventional food is just as good for you as the organic food is? Consider, manufacturers can add
vitamins and minerals to Lucky Charms so it matches the nutrient content of whole
oatmeal but it’s clearly not a better choice.
So according to the lab analysis there is no difference in
nutrient content of organic versus conventional foods but that headline is very
misleading. How can you honestly
say that foods that may expose you to more pesticides or antibiotic-resistant
bacteria are just as safe or healthy?
The authors did not state that and that’s being overlooked if you just
read or watch the headlines.
Children today are
increasingly faced with higher levels of toxins in the environment, which has
been linked to autism, ADD and allergies. You are what you eat, especially when
you’re a child – your food intake literally grows the brain and body. As a mom
and an educated consumer, I fully recognize that it’s not possible to eat
organic 100-percent of the time, but every small choice we make, especially for
our kids, adds up to make a big difference. [2]
-Shazi Visram, founder, CEO and Chief Mom of Happy Family.
You are what you eat is something you have likely heard
before and it reminds me of an interview with a mother recalling the nursing of
her first child. While
breastfeeding the baby this woman had been consuming quite a bit of onions from
her garden and the taste was present in her milk and the baby would not take
the milk. Using this story as an
example it’s fair to assume that if livestock are administered hormones or
antibiotics it could be present in their by-products (milk, cheese, eggs) as
well.
Another point in favor of organic food is one of
sustainability. Organic farming
practices are designed to benefit the environment by reducing pollution and
conserving water and soil quality, and healthy soil leads to healthy food.
In terms of the extra cost and value of eating organically,
I have always subscribed to the adage “pay now or pay later.” If you eat nutritious and clean foods
you are more likely to have robust health and less need for medical related
intervention. Investing in
the long-term health of you and your family is always a winning strategy!
For a more in-depth comparison of organic versus
conventional farming methods check out this analysis from the staff at the Mayo
Clinic:
There are basically two different models of food production
today, and there's growing conflict between them. This is a step beyond the organic versus conventional
argument and it’s a conflict that is at the root of the declining health of our
nation. Read more about this here
and one of the pioneers that is showing us a better way of raising and growing
our food:
Additional Reading
I briefly hit on the popular and often repeated notion that
you are what you eat. Inherently I believe most of us,
especially mothers know this to be true at least with respect to the idea that
nutritious food is better for our health.
Consider the following research that I pulled together just from the
last week.
Just as women are advised to get plenty of folic acid around
the time of conception and throughout early pregnancy, new research suggests
another very similar nutrient may one day deserve a spot on the obstetrician’s
list of recommendations.
Consuming greater amounts of choline – a nutrient found in
eggs and meat – during pregnancy may lower an infant’s vulnerability to
stress-related illnesses, such as mental health disturbances, and chronic
conditions, like hypertension, later in life:
Working with researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and
the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, anthropologists at UC Santa Barbara have
found high levels of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids in the breast milk of
economically impoverished Amerindian woman as compared to women in the United
States. The study compared breast milk fatty acid composition in U.S. and
Tsimane women. The Tsimane live in Amazonian Bolivia, and eat a diet consisting
primarily of locally grown staple crops, wild game, and freshwater fish.
Samples of Tsimane mothers’ milk contained significantly higher percentages of
the omega-3 fatty acid DHA, which is crucial for infant cognitive and visual
development:
The study below shows evidence that a mother’s pre-pregnancy
nutrient intake can have profound impact on the health of her child:
Phil Loomis
Youth
Fitness/Nutrition Specialist
Reference:
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