Is Your Food Really Organic?

Max Oppenheim / Getty Images A lot of posh produce is nothing more than a consumer shakedown. Hungry Beast uncovers what you don't really know about the "organic" food in your grocery cart.

Once Wal-Mart gets into the act, you know it’s hit the mainstream, and so it’s no surprise that organic foods have mushroomed to the extent that they can be found just about everywhere, from the highest-end gourmet shop to the local supermarket and the smallest urban green grocer. No longer are they relegated to farmers’ markets and granola-crunching health food stores. Even the U.S. Government has gotten into the act by developing a standard by which foods are designated as “certified organic.” The organic food industry expands by about 20 percent every year and controls about 3 percent of the food market—a small number but one that is growing. Today, organic foods boast nearly $1 billion in annual sales.

“The organic food industry expands by about 20 percent every year and controls about 3 percent of the food market—nearly $1 billion in annual sales.”

This is good news for all Americans who care about their health and putting good, wholesome food on the table for their families. But before you dash out the door in search of organic produce and dairy products and responsibly raised meat and poultry, consider all the reasons for buying all organic. You may decide to curb your enthusiasm—or inflate it—at no risk to your health or the well-being of the planet.

1. The Dirty Dozen versus the Angelic Few. Food scientists and other experts have come up with a list of the foods that, when raised conventionally, are drenched with pesticide residue once they reach the market. These are fragile foods that require extra help to fight invasions of insects and disease, which the mega farmers are happy to supply. Unless they are labeled “organic” or you know where they were grown, avoid these foods:

peaches
strawberries
nectarines
apples
spinach
celery
pears
sweet bell peppers
cherries
potatoes
lettuce
imported grapes

Sturdier foods do better than more delicate ones when raised by conventional means. While we prefer these to be grown organically, they are tough enough to survive without intense spraying and so do not arrive at the market bathed in pesticides. Some of these, such as bananas, have thick skins that form a natural barrier between the fruit and outside invaders. Others, such as asparagus, simply are not particularly attractive to pests and so don’t require heavy doses of pesticides. If you are trying to save money or simply don’t see organic or locally grown specimens in the market, these are okay to buy:

corn
asparagus
broccoli
cabbage
cauliflower
onions
avocado
mango
kiwi
papaya
bananas
pineapples

2. Organic Farming is Good for the Environment. When a farmer makes a commitment to raise food organically on a sustainable farm, he or she reduces the amount of pollutants in the ground water and practices farming methods that contribute to richer soil. This results in safer drinking water—even in towns and cities far removed from the farm—and reduces erosion. Plus, food grown in healthy soil tastes great and is less susceptible to disease. Add to this that, according to many studies, organic farming uses about half as much energy as does traditional farming, and it’s a win-win proposition for the earth.

Michel Nischan, a James Beard Award-winning chef, author of the soon-to-be released cookbook, Sustainably Delicious, and owner of The Dressing Room, a Homegrown Restaurant, in Westport, Connecticut, says it beautifully: “When we choose local and sustainably grown foods, we are rewarded with the very best flavors nature is capable of producing. Just consider the difference between a vine-ripened heirloom tomato and one of those ‘on-the-vine’ tomatoes from the February grocery store shelf. The local tomato tastes way better, and eating them is way better for you and the environment.”