Is Organic Produce worth it?
Yes! Most of the time…
I choose to purchase organic produce whenever possible. What makes sense for me might not make sense for you- so let’s go over what I consider* and why.
The reasons to purchase organic food often far outweigh the negatives- but there are exceptions. There are many forms of agriculture so the simple duality of organic vs conventional doesn’t really hold water. And, it takes years for a farm to be certified organic (don’t skip over the farm stand that’s in the process of becoming organic!)
For simplicity, let’s dive in a little to how I decide when to buy organic produce, and why: people, planet and purse strings.
My person/ family-
I want to feed myself and my family the healthiest food we can, to avoid illness, reduce the risk of chronic disease, feel amazing, enhance longevity and enjoy fresh, seasonal food.
I often choose organic produce as its grown without synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and other additives that have been specifically formulated to kill pests, or disrupt their endocrine system.
While the debate rages on about whether the additional nutritional value of organic produce is small or significant, the benefit of not ingesting synthetic chemicals is worth it to me. Studies ague whether organic produce is healthier or not based solely on nutrient density, ignoring the ingestion of synthetic chemicals.
Other People:
I think about the people making, spraying and farming with these chemicals and how it affects their health.
And, to further the “people” aspect of my decision-making contemplations- I think about the people making, spraying and farming with these chemicals and how it affects their health. While eating a few peaches sprayed with pesticides won’t hurt me- the bioaccumulation of these chemicals for the workers and ecosystem can be very dangerous.
The planet-
The distance an item travels affects the environmental impact of produce. If an apple is certified organic, but was flown in from New Zealand, it really defeats the point of buying organic- to make choices better for the health of the environment.
I consider the amount of green house gases emitted to get those apples to the US, that the produce likely wasn’t picked at peak ripeness (for better flavor and more nutrients) as it has to be shipped without spoiling, organic certification is often left up to foreign regulators, and imported produce can contain high levels of pesticide residue.
Organic produce is generally better for the environment. It’s not treated with harmful pesticides and fertilizers, so the soil is healthier- and because organic farms generally have a thicker layer of topsoil, they actually sequesters (holds onto) more carbon than chemically-treated agricultural fields.
Without synthetic pesticides, the water runoff from organic farms is cleaner than the chemically-treated fields, which are a major contributor to water pollution.
My purse-
sometimes the price of organic produce is very high compared to “conventional” produce. So- what do I do?
First, I aim to buy seasonally-
And, what the grocery store or farmers market has in abundance, they put it out on display and prices are usually at their lowest all year. So if I was craving some asparagus (in season in spring-summer) for my Thanksgiving meal and it’s beyond a reasonable price, I adjust expectations and choose something else.
Most of the time when you purchase produce in season, the organic option isn’t much more expensive. I normally follow the Dirty Dozen list created by the Environmental Working Group to avoid the conventional produce with the highest levels of residual pesticides. Life happens- if the organic strawberries are looking less than fresh, I opt for conventional.
I do my best not to overthink it.
Remember-
It’s always better to eat the produce you can afford as I’m a huge proponent of eating a plant-forward diet.
When the organic produce is in your price range, opt for it- you’ll be benefitting the health of you and your environment.
* As a former sustainability professional for over 15 years with a Masters in Environmental Science and Management, I’m pretty conditioned to take into account the pros and cons of impacts on myself and the environment when I make purchases. Coming from the corporate world, sustainability decisions evaluate the triple bottom line- people, planet and profit. If an idea was good for people and the planet, but not profitable for the company on the timeline they sought, it wasn’t sustainable for them.
As a consumer, I consider how purchasing decisions affect my person, the planet and my purse. Other factors may contibute to your purchasing decisions. I’d love to hear what you consider in your food purchasing decisions.