Organic Food

As a food scientist, I am morally opposed to organic food. If I accidently put something organic in my basket at the grocery store I turn around and put it back. To me, organic food is a waste of money. I consider it to be "trendy" which is why so many un-informed people think its so great. Organic food sure does sound like it wound pretty wonderful, but so do a lot of things until you become more well-informed (Obama??). For anyone who cares and for me to get it off my chest, here is some info from the Mayo Clinic about organic food:

• Nutrition. No conclusive evidence shows that organic food is more nutritious than is conventionally grown food. And the USDA — even though it certifies organic food — doesn't claim that these products are safer or more nutritious.
• Quality and appearance. Organic foods meet the same quality and safety standards as conventional foods. The difference lies in how the food is produced, processed and handled. You may find that organic fruits and vegetables spoil faster because they aren't treated with waxes or preservatives. Also, expect less-than-perfect appearances in some organic produce — odd shapes, varying colors and perhaps smaller sizes. In most cases, however, organic foods look identical to their conventional counterparts.
• Pesticides. Conventional growers use pesticides to protect their crops from molds, insects and diseases. When farmers spray pesticides, this can leave residue on produce. Some people buy organic food to limit their exposure to these residues. Most experts agree, however, that the amount of pesticides found on fruits and vegetables poses a very small health risk.
• Environment. Some people buy organic food for environmental reasons. Organic farming practices are designed to benefit the environment by reducing pollution and conserving water and soil.
• Cost. Most organic food costs more than conventional food products. Higher prices are due to more expensive farming practices, tighter government regulations and lower crop yields. Because organic farmers don't use herbicides or pesticides, many management tools that control weeds and pests are labor intensive. For example, organic growers may hand weed vegetables to control weeds, and you may end up paying more for these vegetables.
• Taste. Some people say they can taste the difference between organic and nonorganic food. Others say they find no difference. Taste is a subjective and personal consideration, so decide for yourself. But whether you buy organic or not, finding the freshest foods available may have the biggest impact on taste.

I ask lots of people whether they like organic food or not and several 0f them have told me that it tastes so much better or makes them feel better than non-organic food does. I have a hard time believing this. I think its 99% in their head (like my addiction to diet coke). The facts above prove that the only real benefit of eating organic food is to save the environment (and for a pretty penny). I am all for saving the environment, but I don't think that eating organic food is the way to do it (for me, anyways).