Organic produce vs. supermarket produce

[The David]

How much of a difference is there, really? Will you become vitamin deficient if you rely on Wal-Mart?

[gberardi]

I doubt it, but I am no expert on why you should buy organic. From what I can tell, you don't buy organic necessarily for health reasons.

Organic means that it was raised/grown/etc in a way that does not harm the environment. No pesticides, no strange fertilizers, and no weird chemicals. Good soil is hard to find these days, and organic farmers refuse to use cheaper, unnatural ways to put nutrients in their soil.

I don't know of any health benefits, though. As far as I know, you end up getting an apple or peach either way, but perhaps there is something to it. After all, if the soil is not tampered with in unnatural ways, the fruit has to be healthier, right?

[Erin Pavlina]

Organic produce tastes way better to me than traditionally cultivated produce. It seems like eating food that does not contain pesticides or genetic engineering would be healthier in general. I'm not sure the difference is so much about what's IN the food, in terms of vitamins, but what is ON the food in terms of pesticides.

[Matthew Shea]

I've read articles that state that organic products do typically contain some pesticides due to their persistence in the environment and widespread use (i.e. it's very difficult to get away from pesticides completely even if organic farmers don't use them themselves). I've got to believe, however, that natural farming methods have got to produce produce that is healthier because it contains much reduced levels of artificial chemicals. I agree with Erin that it typically tastes better, too, although you have to consider your source when comparing the taste of two products. In other words, organic carrots that sit on the shelf for two weeks before they hit your shopping cart are still not going to taste the best. To be explicit, I'm implying that organic produce typically makes it to the store faster than non-organic produce, which will naturally improve the taste due to better freshness.

[The David]

Well, I'm thinking of trying vegetarianism soon, and I'm wondering if vitamin deficiency could be a risk since I have little knowledge of nutrition (i.e which vitamins are in what, and how much). And I'd rather make small steps, instead of suddenly ditching everything altogether.

[Erin Pavlina]

David, don't worry about vitamin deficiency. Most vegetarians and vegans eat 5-10 servings of fruit or veggies per day, compared to omnivores who eat 1-2 (most of which are french fries)

Just get Becoming Vegetarian for information on how to ensure your vitamin intake is adequate. you only need to read it once for it to become clear.

[viola]

Originally Posted by Erin Pavlina

Organic produce tastes way better to me than traditionally cultivated produce. It seems like eating food that does not contain pesticides or genetic engineering would be healthier in general. I'm not sure the difference is so much about what's IN the food, in terms of vitamins, but what is ON the food in terms of pesticides.

I must agree with what you are saying.

Organic - NO to Chemicals and Additives

Viola
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[RallyMcnally]

Yes I eat mostly organic produce or local loving farm produce basically because their more nutricious. They have more minerals and other nutrients then regular supermarket produce. These days thou organic farms are becoming more commercial [earthbound farms / organic valley] so I tend to avoid these companies because their products arebeing mass produced to meet demands. Local organic loving farmer's market produce is what I think everyone should be buying. It comes from your region of land and it's just healthier I believe.

[gberardi]

Originally Posted by The David

Well, I'm thinking of trying vegetarianism soon, and I'm wondering if vitamin deficiency could be a risk since I have little knowledge of nutrition (i.e which vitamins are in what, and how much). And I'd rather make small steps, instead of suddenly ditching everything altogether.

I started out by cutting back on meat and dairy, but I would still eat it. I just made sure to eat a lot more fruits and vegetables. When your lunch goes from sandwich, crackers, and other crackers (gee, I can't even remember what it was I used to eat!) to sandwich, fruits, and vegetables, you'll notice that it is more colorful and flavorful.

I didn't know as much as I do now, but at the time I knew that eating processed foods was probably worse for me than eating whole, plant-based foods. Taking small steps is fine. Starting slowly at least means you're starting. And you can continue to take more and more steps as you learn. At one point, about a year or so later, I realized that I no longer wanted to eat animal-based foods, and so I stopped. It wasn't very hard because I already cut a lot of it out of my diet by then. I didn't feel as deprived as I probably would have if I just stopped cold-turkey.

Of course, if I could have had the information needed to make this conclusion earlier, I would have loved it. It was about health for me, and starting sooner would be better than later. Until you're ready for whatever conclusion you come to, I suggest you take those first steps.

[Andrew Brunelle]

Organic produce is superior to conventional produce, especially in taste and vitality. Conventional produce has poisons on it. Wouldn't you think that would affect its livelihood? And it also affects its taste. Organic Fuji apples are awesome, as is organic celery. Don't worry so much about organic produce with thick skin, most of the pesticides cannot get to the center, but the genetically modified fruits/veggies are not good either. Organic is so much tastier and more healthy. Imagine eating an orange of pineapple with seeds!

[stephencp]

"How much of a difference is there, really? Will you become vitamin deficient if you rely on Wal-Mart?"

What about the organic foods sold by Wal-Mart.....?

Stephen
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