Organics Revisited
Two recent postings have been about menu planning a subject which isn’t complete without mentioning the sequence in which the meals are to be served. The order, of course, depends on the foods chosen. The menu examples from my cookbook follow a standard form for all the weeks, but I clearly state in the book that the order in which the meals are served is optional. One very deciding factor is the shelf life of the items purchased. This is especially true of fresh produce, because unlike say, meats, much of it can’t be preserved. Organics fade faster than regular produce since they have no preservatives applied for transport, so time in transit is another factor to consider in scheduling their use.
In September 2012, I wrote an in-depth article on organics, in which I even go into the definitions of and comparisons to Natural Foods, Raw Foods and Whole Foods. I’m going to quote from it here, but urge you to look for the complete posting in the site archives. Simply select the month in the box on the left of this page and click. For now, I’m going to focus on the questions surrounding organic foods and any new information on them since I last wrote.
The discovery of a pesticide, later called DDT, in 1878 is the factual beginning of this subject, but the real start was the Army’s successful use of it against typhus and malaria during World War II The government decided it had great agricultural potential and sanctioned its extensive use. DDT was banned after Rachel Carson wrote The Silent Spring in 1964 proving its harmful impact on our bird populations. Then came the effects of the defoliant Agent Orange during Vietnam, and people became suspicious of all chemicals used in agricultural production.
“Over the past three decades the demand for organically produced food has grown, spurred by our increased awareness of the role food plays in maintaining our health and the desire to stay well and active longer. In the U.S. as we’ve also been confronted by our obesity problem during the past ten, or so, years, we’ve become increasingly conscious of avoiding products with a long list of unpronounceable ingredients, high fat content, or the word “imitation” attached. “Mad Cow” disease helped enlarge the organic category to include meat and dairy.”
Despite our vigilance, in the 1980s the pesticide Round Up was developed along with a soy bean that was genetically altered to be impervious to the chemical’s affects. This was the birth of what are now labeled GMOs and a new contender entered the Health or Healthy food controversy. Mad Cow disease is no longer in the headlines, but the problems with meat processing still exist.
“But what precisely constitutes “Organic” and how can you be sure you’re buying it. Well, the USDA certifies organic products with a green and white PLU (Price Look Up) sticker. To earn this seal the product needs to be verified by 50 accredited certification agents as containing 95% organically produced ingredients. The seal will bear a 5 digit code beginning with the number 9. Products containing 70% organic ingredients often bear stamps carrying the word, but they are not green and white and their codes are 4 digits beginning with the number 8.
According to the Mayo Clinic organic farming is designed to encourage soil and water conservation and reduce pollution by using frequent crop rotation, natural fertilizer, water with no sewage sludge, and mulch only, with no synthetics, to control weeds. No conventional, manufactured fertilizers or pesticides are allowed. In organic husbandry, certified meat and dairy must come from animals never injected with growth hormones, fed food with additives or irradiated, raised in confined or unclean areas, denied access to the outdoors, given preventative medications and/or antibiotics. The cuts of meat cannot be injected with saline to boost weight.”
NOTE: Here I would advise you to check out the definitions of the different types of Healthy foods in the September 2012 article. Natural, Whole and Raw Foods are not necessarily organic. On the other hand GMOs can be grown organically.
“ The Environmental Working Group, a non-profit organization, publishes an annual list of non-organic foods to avoid called “The Dirty Dozen”. Since the list is always more than 12, and changes every year, due to weather conditions, drought, rain fall, frost, which affect chemical residues on crops, and insect populations, it’s wiser to remember the categories: thin skinned tree fruits, berries and grapes, leafy vegetables like lettuce, spinach and kale, low growing vegetables like tomatoes, celery and cucumbers and shallow root ones like radishes, carrots and white potatoes. I understand why citrus fruits, peas, bananas and melons are never on the list, but I don’t get why cabbage, sweet potatoes, asparagus, broccoli, kiwi or eggplant aren’t either, but they aren’t These are general guidelines, and it’s smart to check out the latest annual listings, especially after extreme weather conditions. Just plug Dirty Dozen Foods into a search engine.
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Incorporating organic foods into the diet is beneficial for everyone, particularly the elderly and ill, but it can be very important for babies and toddlers, especially if you’re making their food. By the way, baby food is a cinch. Actually the nutritionists appear to be more concerned about encouraging people to focus on organic meats and dairy than produce because of the possible effects of growth hormones. However, the benefits of organic milk over non-organic are few, so long as the label states the no rBST hormones were used to stimulate milk production.”
Now let’s take a look at the most commonly asked questions about whether or not to buy organics.
“Are there any downsides to buying organics? Of course! The biggest is that organically grown food is about 50% more expensive than conventionally. It requires more land, and taxes, to ergonomically rotate crops and allow livestock free-range. Far more labor is needed to hand weed, mulch and guard against fungus and pests by natural means. Add to this that organic farmers in the U.S. get no subsidy, and it becomes an unprofitable undertaking. In other words organic farms produce substantially less than conventional ones. Moreover, produce allowed to ripen naturally and not preserved, must get to market faster and will spoil quicker than the conventionally preserved. Incidentally, a note here, farmers in the U.S. earning less than $5000.00 per year from organic products needn’t label them, So if you go to a Farmers’ Market, ask the vendor about the produce
Are there any ways to make regular food safer? Yes! Rinsing is the most important. Remove any soil and then soak in a solution of ½ part water ½ part vinegar for 5 mi. or wipe well with a solution of 1cup water, 1Tbs. lemon juice and 1Tbs.baking soda, or simply diluted dish detergent followed by water. Of course you can also buy one of the commercial “washes”, but that rather blows the “organic” doesn’t it? Be sure to do this before cutting, because a knife blade can carry pesticide residue into the flesh, and wash all utensils frequently.
Are there ways to buy organic food on a budget? Again Yes! The most obvious way is to comparison shop, especially if looking for milk. Stay seasonal, and, if possible, contact local growers, perhaps through visiting Farm Markets, to see if you can avoid the commercial mark-ups. Plan menus ahead featuring available produce, estimating the prices into your budget, before shopping. Be willing to make budget cuts or buying other items, snacks and sweets, for example, to accommodate the extra costs. Buy the dried foods, beans, rice etc. in economy sizes. Perhaps you have someone who will share bulk purchases from warehouse stores, to save money. There are high price and lower priced organic foods. Find ways to balance your purchases between them, either through menu planning, or by combining them in a casserole. Become familiar with the Dirty Dozen, and find ways to combine organic, with safe non-organic foods as described above. There are coupons for organic foods on the web, but avoid ordering things there, because it will cost too much in shipping, and depending on the vender and item possibly take too long to arrive. If you have space, learn to freeze and/or can. Finally, try growing your own produce, but I should warn you, my neighbors tried that last year. After some “wiffy” days, a rather cute infestation of lady bugs and a surplus of zucchini, the local rabbits got most of the tomatoes and beans, they sodded over the plot. It had cost far more in supplies than they could have saved even with bumper crops.
This highlights the main problem. Organic farming is expensive and labor intensive with a proportionately low yield. Basically all farming was organic before the industrial revolution and the population explosion. It’s the way the Third World nations still farm, struggling to feed their own people. The truth is that without modern farming techniques, and that includes some genetically altered crops, we wouldn’t be able to feed ourselves. Moreover, organic farming requires more space than conventional, due to the extra land needed for proper crop rotation, making it too expensive for practicality on a large scale. Add in the weather variables and there’s the potential for disaster. England has an experiment Thanet Earth in Kent, enclosing acres in vast greenhouses, but its success is unknown as yet. The truth is, until a solution is, or can be found we’re going to have to depend for most of our food, on modern, conventional farming techniques and methods. Hopefully, we can make those safer.”
Is organically grown food always safe? No! Low growing items and fallen tree fruit can be contaminated with E.coli by wild animals that visit the farms at night. The produce can also be tainted by a sprinkler system drawing from a polluted water supply or run-off from a non-organic field or a pasture. So be sure to wash all produce well even organic. Store it at least at 40 deg. and remember cooking to 140 deg. is the one sure way to destroy the E.coli bacteria.
“Though organic husbandry requires land, sufficient to allow the animals free range, there’s also a matter of keeping their housing clean, their food pure, their fields free of artificial fertilizers and pesticides, and above all, never giving them anything to modify their growth or productivity. It’s actually a case of doing less rather than more, and leaving the animals to develop as nature intended. That should be somewhat easier to achieve. Let’s hope, as awareness of the benefits of eating organically increases, ways will be found to increase production of and access to these foods, so we may all eat healthier. For now, however, cost and availability are considerations.
It is also very important to remember that the “organic” label is no guarantee against products causing food borne illnesses. Many contaminants can be introduced between the field and the table. Your best protection is to always buy from reliable sources, constantly wash your hands, counters and tools to avoid cross contamination, keep the cooking area chemical free, and be sure to maintain the proper temperature for storage and cooking of each item.”
The major change in the situation in the past few years is the pricing. If cost is a problem, look up the current Dirty Dozen and limit buying to them and to items you’ll be eating raw. Cooking kills many contaminants including E.coli. Follow the tips above, practice safe handling and you should be set to enjoy healthy eating.
If you have any questions, please contact me.
