Ask a Dietitian

GOING ORGANIC

Finding organic foods in grocery stores, fruit and vegetable shops and home delivery is common place these days. Much of the organic produce Canadians consume is imported, up to 70-80%. In Canada, to be considered organic, the grower must make use of no chemical or synthetic fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides and submit their land and produce to strict testing to meet the requirements of Canadian General Standards Board.

Instead of using the chemicals, farmers will use manures, crop rotation, cover crops and natural fertilizers to provide nutrients to their crops.

Food that is “certified organic” was grown without chemical fertilizers or pesticides. The soil has been free from pesticides for about three years before it can be considered organic.

The benefit of eating organic foods comes primarily from the reduced exposure to pesticides and herbicides. Whether a food is actually more nutrient dense doesn’t depend on it being organic but on the soil quality, nutrients of the soil, amount of water it received, time of the harvest, storage time etc.

What do pesticides do?

The health effects of pesticides depend on the type of pesticide. Some, such as the organophosphates and carbamates, affect the nervous system. Others may irritate the skin or eyes. Some pesticides may be carcinogens. Others may affect the hormone or endocrine system in the body. However, in most cases the amount of pesticide people are likely to be exposed to is too small to pose a risk. (7)
One study compared the occurrence of pesticide residue across 8 fruits and 12 vegetable crops. Pesticide residue was found in both conventionally grown and organically grown crops, according to Baker et al.:
-conventionally grown samples had residues in 31 – 79 % of samples
-organically grown samples consistently had far smaller percentages with residues in 6.5 – 27% of samples. (1)
From this study, organic foods typically contained pesticide residues only one-third as often as conventionally grown foods did. Most of the residues in organic foods can readily be explained as the unavoidable results of environmental contamination, by past pesticide use, or by “drift” (sprays blown in from adjacent non-organic farms)

The most important choice you make with your diet is to eat fruits and vegetables and if you can choose organic more often then great.
Often the cost of organics deters consumers from choosing organic and therefore some make the choice just not to buy the produce. This is the wrong approach. You still get lots of nutrient benefits from eating fruits and vegetables. And if they are organic, still practice safe food handling by properly washing your fruit and vegetable and pealing those that require pealing. Buy locally grown fruits and vegetables more often than imported produce. BC Hot House produce is also a great choice.

If you are going to choose organic produce, which ones are worth the extra buck?

Buy organically grown: apples, peaches, spinach, bell peppers, celery, imported grapes, nectarines, pears, potatoes, raspberries, strawberries, cherries. (5)

Buy conventionally grown: Asparagus, avocado, bananas, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet corn, kiwi, mangoes, onions, papaya, pineapple, sweet peas (5)

The Bottom Line: Choosing organics is good for the environment and that alone is a good reason to go organic. When it comes to produce, choose organics for the most highly sprayed fruits and vegetables. If the cost is an issue, eat out one less time per week.

Watch for the Eating for Energy segment every Tuesday on BCTV’s Noon News Hour!