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| Nature's One Tips January |
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By Halle Dusseau, Registered Dietitian, RD, LD
The term “organic” refers to the way agricultural products are grown and processed. Specific requirements must be
met and maintained in order for products to be labeled as “organic.”Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy ingredients
come from animals that are not given antibiotics and growth hormones.
In 1990, the US Congress passed the Organic Foods Production Act, giving the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) the
authority to develop national standards to ensure that any food labeled as organic was grown, processed, and handled
according to these standards. Compliance with these standards was reinforced by the USDA through the creation in
2002 of a National Organic Program office to ensure that all foods labeled as organic are sourced from farms and
processors certified by a USDA-accredited agent. Baby’s Only® Organic formulas and PediaSmart® Complete Nutrition
beverages are certified organic by OneCert™. OneCert is a USDA approved government agency. For more information
about OneCert, refer to their web site at www.onecert.com .
The organic movement is not a recent fad for the environmentally conscious family. The movement continues to grow
and for good reasons. How foods are grown or raised can impact both your health and the environment. The benefits of
organic food include the following:
· Children are most vulnerable to chemical pesticide exposure because they drink more water, eat more food, and
breathe more air on a per unit weight basis when compared with adults. Children also metabolize, detoxify, or excrete
environmental agents differently than adults. Exposure to harmful pesticides at an early age can cause developmental
and behavioral problems. A recent study linked organophosphate pesticide exposure to attention deficit/hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD).
[1] Federal law does not allow organic farmers to use these toxic pesticides.
· Although taste is an individual preference, many consumers are of the opinion that organic food tastes better. This
may be due to the fact that organic foods do not contain artificial dyes, artificial flavoring agents, preservatives, or other
chemicals to extend shelf-life.
· Organic farming is better for the environment. With organic farming, there is a reduction in pollution, conservation
of water, reduction of soil erosion, increased soil fertility, and less energy usage.
· Organic foods may be more nutritious. Although there continues to be debate about this claim, many studies have
reported the nutritional superiority of a number of organic foods versus their non-organic counterparts. For example,
organic milk can contain more desirable fatty acids and antioxidants than found in conventionally produced milk.
[2] Agricultural scientists continue to investigate the nutritional superiority of organically grown foods, especially their
higher content of many antioxidants.
One comment often heard is that organic foods are more expensive than conventional foods. This is not necessarily the
case. The growth of the organic industry has made many items such as fruits, vegetables, grains and milk comparable
to their nonorganic counterparts. Some suggestions to keep within your budget when purchasing organic foods
include: shopping at local farmer’s markets, joining a food co-op or Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), and buying
in season. If organic options are not available, choose fruits and vegetables that are least likely to have high pesticide
levels such as avocados, mangoes, bananas, pineapple, kiwis, eggplant, broccoli, cabbage, sweet potatoes, onions, and
sweet corn. Each year, the Environmental Working Group puts together a list called the “dirty dozen” which includes
foods that are most likely to have high pesticide residues. The 2011 “dirty dozen” includes: apples, celery, strawberries,
peaches, spinach, nectarines, grapes, sweet bell peppers, potatoes, blueberries, lettuce, and kale.
Once thought of as a “fad,” the movement toward use of organic foods continues to grow and for good reasons. Of
greatest concern to many families and their reason for “going organic” is the health of their children. With the growing
awareness that the conventional US diet can be the cause of increasing childhood issues, such as ADHD, diabetes,
allergies, and obesity, eating “organic” is truly no longer a fad but a matter of health.
References:
1. Bouchard MF et al, “Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and urinary metabolites of organophosphate pesticides,”
Pediatrics, 2010; 125:1270-1277.
2. Butler G et al, “Fatty acid and fat-soluble antioxidant concentrations in milk from high- and low-input conventional
organic systems: seasonal variation,” J Sci Food Agric. 2008; 88:1431-1441.
The term “organic” refers to the way agricultural products are grown and processed. Specific requirements must be
met and maintained in order for products to be labeled as “organic.”Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy ingredients
come from animals that are not given antibiotics and growth hormones.
In 1990, the US Congress passed the Organic Foods Production Act, giving the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) the
authority to develop national standards to ensure that any food labeled as organic was grown, processed, and handled
according to these standards. Compliance with these standards was reinforced by the USDA through the creation in
2002 of a National Organic Program office to ensure that all foods labeled as organic are sourced from farms and
processors certified by a USDA-accredited agent. Baby’s Only® Organic formulas and PediaSmart® Complete Nutrition
beverages are certified organic by OneCert™. OneCert is a USDA approved government agency. For more information
about OneCert, refer to their web site at www.onecert.com .
The organic movement is not a recent fad for the environmentally conscious family. The movement continues to grow
and for good reasons. How foods are grown or raised can impact both your health and the environment. The benefits of
organic food include the following:
· Children are most vulnerable to chemical pesticide exposure because they drink more water, eat more food, and
breathe more air on a per unit weight basis when compared with adults. Children also metabolize, detoxify, or excrete
environmental agents differently than adults. Exposure to harmful pesticides at an early age can cause developmental
and behavioral problems. A recent study linked organophosphate pesticide exposure to attention deficit/hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD).
[1] Federal law does not allow organic farmers to use these toxic pesticides.
· Although taste is an individual preference, many consumers are of the opinion that organic food tastes better. This
may be due to the fact that organic foods do not contain artificial dyes, artificial flavoring agents, preservatives, or other
chemicals to extend shelf-life.
· Organic farming is better for the environment. With organic farming, there is a reduction in pollution, conservation
of water, reduction of soil erosion, increased soil fertility, and less energy usage.
· Organic foods may be more nutritious. Although there continues to be debate about this claim, many studies have
reported the nutritional superiority of a number of organic foods versus their non-organic counterparts. For example,
organic milk can contain more desirable fatty acids and antioxidants than found in conventionally produced milk.
[2] Agricultural scientists continue to investigate the nutritional superiority of organically grown foods, especially their
higher content of many antioxidants.
One comment often heard is that organic foods are more expensive than conventional foods. This is not necessarily the
case. The growth of the organic industry has made many items such as fruits, vegetables, grains and milk comparable
to their nonorganic counterparts. Some suggestions to keep within your budget when purchasing organic foods
include: shopping at local farmer’s markets, joining a food co-op or Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), and buying
in season. If organic options are not available, choose fruits and vegetables that are least likely to have high pesticide
levels such as avocados, mangoes, bananas, pineapple, kiwis, eggplant, broccoli, cabbage, sweet potatoes, onions, and
sweet corn. Each year, the Environmental Working Group puts together a list called the “dirty dozen” which includes
foods that are most likely to have high pesticide residues. The 2011 “dirty dozen” includes: apples, celery, strawberries,
peaches, spinach, nectarines, grapes, sweet bell peppers, potatoes, blueberries, lettuce, and kale.
Once thought of as a “fad,” the movement toward use of organic foods continues to grow and for good reasons. Of
greatest concern to many families and their reason for “going organic” is the health of their children. With the growing
awareness that the conventional US diet can be the cause of increasing childhood issues, such as ADHD, diabetes,
allergies, and obesity, eating “organic” is truly no longer a fad but a matter of health.
References:
1. Bouchard MF et al, “Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and urinary metabolites of organophosphate pesticides,”
Pediatrics, 2010; 125:1270-1277.
2. Butler G et al, “Fatty acid and fat-soluble antioxidant concentrations in milk from high- and low-input conventional
organic systems: seasonal variation,” J Sci Food Agric. 2008; 88:1431-1441.
Benefits of Organic
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