Does Organic Matter?

What Exactly Does “Organic” Mean?

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Organic foods and other agricultural products have been exposed to fewer pesticide residues and certain conventionally grown practices such as the use of synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Products that have the USDA organic seal are certified for having 95% or more organic content. These foods do not necessarily provide more nutritional value than conventionally grown foods, but they also do not contain potentially harmful additives.

Additional Information on Pesticides

Pesticides, the chemical substances used to kill pests and other organisms that damage crops, may pose a risk to human health. These chemicals are created to be toxic to biological organisms, but the health effects of pesticides depend on the type and exposure level to the pesticide. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), some pesticides may be annoying irritants to eyes and skin, while others may be more detrimental and affect the endocrine and the nervous system. One study looked at the increasing levels of the organophosphorus (OP) pesticides found in the urine in children who ate conventional foods versus children who ate foods with organic labels (Curl et al., 2003). Several years later, another study examined the association between urinary concentrations of OP metabolites and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. The main finding in this study was that children with higher levels of OP metabolites detected than the average concentration had increasing odds of ADHD (Bouchard et al., 2010).

A more recent study highlights pesticide-induced oxidative stress on cells, an imbalance of cellular byproducts from metabolic processes leading to a depletion of antioxidants and an increase in free radicals which can damage DNA and proteins. Pesticide-induced oxidative stress is associated with inflammation, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer, which is why some pesticides are labeled as disease causing and carcinogenic (Sule et al., 2022).

Yet, the EPA affirms that pesticides do not pose an unreasonable risk to human health. The World Health Organization (WHO) corroborates this claim by stating that the “general population” is not exposed to concerning levels of pesticides, but individuals such as agricultural workers who work directly with pesticides or who live in areas where pesticides are used on crops, are “at higher risk of adverse health effects.”

The EPA does provide several resources on assessing pesticide risks, such as the human health risk assessments for reviewing existing pesticides or approving new ones, and a list of carcinogenicity classification of pesticides and breaks down the factors, guidelines, and review processes of evaluating pesticides for carcinogenic potential.

So does buying organic matter? While there is no clear answer, research points to the importance of reducing your exposure to pesticides, and considering conventionally grown foods might contain more of these dangerous chemicals than organic, making conscious choices during your shopping ventures is vital.

Now That You Know Organic Matters, Let's Address How Expensive Buying Organic Can Be!

If you can’t afford to regularly buy organic food and other products or are struggling financially, have no fear! There are other ways you can eat healthy when you are on a budget.

Possibility #1: Minimize Exposure to Pesticides

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Each year, the Environmental Working Group publishes a shopper’s guide to choosing which 12 produce were most contaminated with pesticides (Dirty Dozen), and which 15 produce have the lowest amount of pesticides (Clean Fifteen), using the most recent USDA data. This way, if you want to make conscious shopping choices but can’t afford to purchase only organic products, you can still limit your exposure to pesticides by buying organic when your shopping list items fall under the dirty dozen list and purchase the conventionally grown items from the clean fifteen list without overspending.

The Clean Fifteen (low pesticide residues):

1. Avocados

2. Sweet corn

3. Pineapple

4. Onions

5. Papaya

6. Sweet peas (frozen)

7. Asparagus

8. Honeydew melon

9. Kiwi

10. Cabbage

11. Watermelon

12. Mushrooms

13. Mangoes

14. Sweet Potatoes

15. Carrots
    

The Dirty Dozen (most contaminated with pesticides):

1. Strawberries

2. Spinach

3. Kale, collard and mustard greens

4. Grapes

5. Peaches

6. Pears

7. Nectarines

8. Apples

9. Bell and hot peppers

10. Cherries

11. Blueberries

12. Green beans
    

Possibility #2: Buy Organic Frozen Vegetables and Fruits

Frozen fruits and vegetables do not lose vitamins compared to fresh produce, and sometimes, can even retain more vitamins, according to this study. Even better, buying the organic version of these frozen items is relatively cheaper than buying fresh produce—a helpful way to save money.

Possibility #3: Wash All Produce–Organic or Not, Thoroughly.

Did you know you can effectively remove pesticide residues on the surface of produce? A 2017 study compared the effectiveness of washing apples with baking soda solution vs just tap water and found that soaking the apples in a 10 mg/mL baking soda washing solution for about 15 min removed pesticides such as thiabendazole and phosmet that had been sprayed on the apples 24 hours prior (Doherty et al., 2017). It was also found that certain amounts of these pesticides had penetrated the skin of the apple, and therefore could not be washed away at the surface but would have to be peeled to remove the remaining pesticides (and unfortunately the nutrients found within the apple peel as well). Nevertheless, wash your produce for about 15 minutes with a baking soda, water, and vinegar solution (vinegar wasn’t mentioned in the study, but it is an effective way of washing away any potential bacteria) and rinse! This habit can go a long way to minimizing your exposure to these chemicals.

Possibility #4: Buy Local

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Locally grown produce and other goods tend to be organic, affordable, and sustainable. You’d also be supporting small businesses. Additionally, there are lots of organic produce delivery services you can sign up for and shop online, offering quality, organic meat, and other goods, like wine!

Speaking of wine, it is just as crucial that your favorite bottle of red is organically made too! This means the grapes are grown without synthetic pesticides or herbicides and then when made into wine, the final product doesn’t contain any additives such as dyes or sulfites. Organic wine does contain sulfites, as do all fermented foods, but in trace levels, as they are naturally occurring.

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Sources

Bouchard, Maryse F., et al. “Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Urinary Metabolites of Organophosphate Pesticides.” Pediatrics, vol. 125, no. 6, 0 June 2010, https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2009-3058.

Bouzari, Ali, et al. “Vitamin Retention in Eight Fruits and Vegetables: A Comparison of Refrigerated and Frozen Storage.” Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, vol. 63, no. 3, 13 Jan. 2015, pp. 957–962, https://doi.org/10.1021/jf5058793.

“Chemical Safety: Pesticides.” World Health Organization, www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/chemical-safety-pesticides.

Curl, Cynthia L, et al. “Organophosphorus Pesticide Exposure of Urban and Suburban Preschool Children with Organic and Conventional Diets.” Environmental Health Perspectives, vol. 111, no. 3, Mar. 2003, pp. 377–382, https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.5754.

“Evaluating Pesticides for Carcinogenic Potential.” EPA, www.epa.gov/pesticide-science-and-assessing-pesticide-risks/evaluating-pesticides-carcinogenic-potential.

Group, Environmental Working. “EWG’s 2024 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce.” EWG’s 2024 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce | Summary, 20 March 2024, www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary.php.

“Human Health Issues Related to Pesticides.” EPA, 17 Oct. 2022, www.epa.gov/pesticide-science-and-assessing-pesticide-risks/human-health-issues-related-pesticides#What.

“Human Health Risk Assessment for Pesticides.” EPA, www.epa.gov/pesticide-science-and-assessing-pesticide-risks/assessing-human-health-risk-pesticides.

Sule, Rasheed O., et al. “A Common Feature of Pesticides: Oxidative Stress—the Role of Oxidative Stress in Pesticide-Induced Toxicity.” Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, vol. 2022, 19 Jan. 2022, pp. 1–31, https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/5563759.

“USDA Certified Organic: Understanding The Basics.” USDA Certified Organic: Understanding the Basics | Agricultural Marketing Service, www.ams.usda.gov/services/organic-certification/organic-basics#:~:text=Organic%20certification%20means%20that%20farmers,emphasizes%20natural%20processes%20and%20ingredients.