Organic

Without fail every time I meet someone new and disclose that I am a Registered Dietitian, I am always prompted for my thoughts on various nutrition topics, which I don’t mind; I just find it entertaining. The most recent topic that was brought up to me was organic, so I thought I would take this opportunity to enlighten you all. For the sake of this blog, I am only going to focus on organic fruits and vegetables.

Should you be buying organic? Are they more nutritious? Do you need to always shop at Whole Foods? Before we jump into those questions, let’s first take a look at what organic means.

What is organic?

Well, according to Jim Gaffigan,

Funny, yet true. Anyways, jokes aside, here is the USDA’s definition: “Organic is a labeling term that indicates that the food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods that integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used.” Yeah…all of that doesn't really mean anything to you does it? Didn’t think so. The USDA has a huge guide if you are really interested in all of the details, but basically for fruits and vegetables it means...

• Land must have had none of the prohibited substances applied to it within the last 3 years
• Crops were never exposed to irradiation, sewage sludge, synthetic fertilizers, prohibited pesticides, and genetically modified organisms were not used
• Crop pests, weeds, and diseases will be controlled primarily through physical, mechanical, and biological controls. When these practices are not sufficient, a biological, botanical, or synthetic substance approved for use on the National List may be used.

I know, I know, blah blah blah. Basically what I want you to take away from this section is that the term organic does not mean that no sprays were used.

Why do we use pesticides?

I am not trying to trick you on this one; pesticides are used to keep pests away to stop them from killing all of the plants. Case in point, last summer I found this little gem on one of my tomato plants…

…and proceeded to scream like a little girl until I could collect myself to hit it off the plant with a stick, which didn't work very well. Luckily for me, my roommate came home to save both me and my tomato plant. Imagine if you had a whole field of tomatoes and had an infestation of these little guys, it wouldn't be pretty.

Should I buy all organic?

Well, I am not sure about you, but I don’t make enough money to only buy organic fruits and vegetables. If you are trying to be a bit more budget conscious but still want to try to go the organic route, there are some fruits and vegetables that make more sense to buy organically than others. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) puts out a yearly list of fruits and vegetables based on the amount of pesticides used in growing said crop.  EWG puts out two lists, one being the Clean Fifteen and the Dirty Dozen.

If you are ballin' on a budget...

but still want to go the organic route, you can spend your money more wisely by only purchasing the fruits and vegetables off of the Dirty Dozen list, that way you aren't paying extra for organic bananas that have such a thick peel (that you more than likely are not eating) and isn't really worth it in the long run.

Organic vs Local

To start with, organic and local are not mutually exclusive, meaning you could find some fruits and veggies that are both local and organic, but more often than not, that is not the case. So I am going to step on my soapbox for a hot second. Just because something it not labeled organic doesn’t necessarily mean that it is not. For example, if you visit a farmers market you may see some signage indicating that no sprays/herbicides/pesticides were used.  There is a good chance that this produce is organic, however becoming a certified organic farm is a very long and expensive process that small farmers may not be financially realistic. In this case, the best way to know is to ask them.

Another entire blog post could be about how you define local because there is not standard definition in terms of miles from where you live and what food products you count as local. For example,   we have a Coca-Cola bottling plant here in Charlotte, which uses local water in addition to whatever other flavorings and colorings they add to their beverages. Is that local? (Steps off soapbox)

Breaking it down

Do you HAVE to buy organic fruits and vegetables? Nope. Should you? It definitely won’t hurt you physically (maybe a little bit financially).  Are organic fruits and vegetables more nutritious? Nope. Coming from the perspective of a Registered Dietitian, I just care that you are actually eating fruits and vegetables. You may want to look all cool and all by buying only organic food, but what good is it doing you if it just sits in your fridge until you throw it out anyways? From the perspective of the pseudo hippy that I am, buying organic and/or local is better for the environment as well. Well, I am off to go tie dye some shirts while listening to Bob Dylan. Until next time!

Keep it Fresh,

Keep it Green,

Beth

OMG GMOS!

Well I have avoided this topic for sometime now due to the complexities of it. After Jimmy Kimmel recently did a short segment on it, I figured it was time. What is this topic you ask? Genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Chances are you have at least heard of them or perhaps seen a label on a product touting it was GMO free. Before I delve into the world of GMOs, here is the segment that Jimmy Kimmel did where he asked people their thoughts on GMOs and if they even knew what GMO stands for…

What is a GMO?

GMOs, or “genetically modified organisms,” are plants or animals that have been genetically engineered with DNA from bacteria, viruses or other plants and animals.

Why are there GMOs?

Plants or animals are genetically engineered to exhibit desired traits. However, these desired traits do not occur naturally in nature and cannot be achieved through crossbreeding. To help me illustrate what a GMO is, I am going to refer to my dog. The breed of dog that I have is a maltipoo, a crossbreed of a maltese and poodle. She is not a GMO. Without going into too much detail, her mom is a poodle and her dad is a maltese. Now you are probably wondering how could I make my dog GMO? As cute and snuggly as she can be at times, I will admit that she can be a tad barky at times.  Let’s say that before I got her, I had a scientist take her DNA and insert the gene of a duck quack in place of the barking gene (this is fictional by the way). Instead of barking my dog would quack. I would like to think that quacking is slightly less irritating than barking. Anyways, this would make her GMO since her DNA was altered in an unnatural way with that of another species. 

In terms of foods, some of the desired traits that current GMO plants exhibit includes: drought resistant crops, herbicide and/or insecticide resistant crops, and enhanced nutrition. One example of a nutritionally enhanced crop is golden rice. Due to the high rates of vitamin A deficiency in Asian children, rice was genetically modified to contain a form of vitamin A.

What are the most common sources of GMOs?

Most processed foods contain some amount of GMOs due to the crops that are mostly likely genetically modified. These crops include: alfalafa, canola, corn, cotton, papaya, soy, sugar beets, and zucchini, yellow summer squash, and papaya from Hawaii. Dorky fact of the day: The papaya crop in Hawaii was nearly wiped out by a plant virus back in the day, but scientist developed a GMO papaya that is resistant to said virus which is now what is mostly grown in Hawaii.  You're welcome!

Recently the USDA approved a GMO potato that is engineered to reduce the amount of a potentially harmful chemical that occurs when the potato is fried (French fries and potato chips). In addition, the potato has been engineered to resist bruising, which can occur during harvesting, shipping, and storage. Like I said, this has just been approved so it will take some time before it hits the stomachs of consumers.

Are GMOs safe?

Well, there are obviously two sides of the story on this one so I am going to layout the facts of each side for you.

Pro-GMO Groups Claim:

There are no inherent differences between foods produced from genetically modified (GM) plants and those from non-GM crops. The GM plant is just modified to express a desired trait that the non-GM plant does not. Companies that wish to release a GM seed or the product of a GM crop are required to test the safety of that product and has to be approved by the USDA. No one has substantiated a single human death, or even illness, as a result of consuming GM foods.

Anti-GMO Groups Claim:

There are too few independent (non-industry) studies of the health effects of GM foods to have confidence in their safety. In animal studies, there have been some negative health effects when they are fed a diet of GMOs. Additionally, this could lead to the introduction of allergens into otherwise non-allergic foods. More research is needed. 

How do GMOs impact the environment?

Pro-GMO Groups Claim:

GMOs are better for the environment by decreasing need of insecticides and herbicides, increased crop yield, decrease water usage, and decrease use of chemical fertilizers.

Anti-GMO Groups Claim:

GMO crops will do wide-reaching damage to the environment. Insect-resistant crops may harm species that are not their target, such as monarch butterflies. On the other hand, the insects that the GM crops are designed to kill could develop resistance into a "super bug," ultimately requiring farmers to use more aggressive control measures. Also GM crops may transfer their genes to other crops, which could lead to the development of "super weeds."

Can GMOs help alleviate world hunger?

Pro-GMO Groups Claim:

Through GM seeds even the small farmers can produce bigger, more reliable crops. GM seeds will help poor farmers grow more food for themselves and more profitable crops to sell. Nutrition-enhanced GM crops now in development can directly address the effects of malnutrition, both for the farmers who grow those crops for themselves and for poor consumers in developing-world cities. In the long term, GM crops may be the only way to ensure that worldwide food production keeps pace with the growing population—which may double to 12 billion by the year 2050.

Anti-GMO Groups Claim:

The real causes of hunger are poverty, inequality, and lack of access to food and land. GMOs will do nothing to alleviate these problems. Most GM crops available so far do not address the needs of food production in developing countries. They offer conveniences to the farmer—the ability to apply more or less pesticide spray—but do not produce higher yields. Adoption of GM crops by farmers in the developing world will actually increase hunger by making poor farmers reliant on the few multinational corporations that control the market for those seeds. A better way to improve the lives of farmers is to teach them ecological farming methods by which they can grow better crops without the expense associated with GM seeds.

What are other countries doing?

64 other countries around the globe require GMO products to be labeled as such, however the US is not one of these. Some countries flat out ban the import of GMO products and the use of GMO crops.

How can I avoid GMOs?

Since labeling is not mandatory in the US at this time, there are two options. You can look for this label on processed foods to help you select items that do not contain GMOs...

You can also purchase foods that are 100% organic or certified organic/USDA organic by looking for this logo...

Note: Organic products are usually GMO free but there is a small chance that a GMO may be present due to loopholes. Also, the term natural on a package is just more nutrition mumbo jumbo and means nothing so don't fall for that one. 

Breaking it Down

In the US we do a slight have a hunger issue, but not to the extent that countries such as Africa and India do. People who are food insecure in the US have access to plenty of cheaply priced processed foods that typically contain GMOs. What they do not have much access to is affordable fruits and vegetables, which in the US are not typically genetically modified. Also of note, most Americans do not suffer a vitamin or mineral deficiency so nutritionally enhanced plants are necessarily a priority. Not to say that there may not be a use for GMOs in developing countries if they are deemed safe.

What is my "expert" opinion on this you ask? I am not going to shove my "expert" thoughts down your throat. I think that the research is still up in the air on GMOs. Are they natural? Are the Panthers having a good season? No!

Sorry not sorry Cam...

What I do know is that GMOs are mainly found in processed foods, which aren't that healthy for you to begin with. Want to avoid GMOs? Eat your fruits and vegetables (with the exception of French fries, potato chips, and papaya from Hawaii) and you will avoid most GMOs. Oh and just a tip so that you don't end up on one of Jimmy Kimmel's segments looking like a tool, do a little research for yourself on something before you make an opinion on something. Until next time!

Keep it Fresh,

Keep if Green,

Beth

For more information visit:

• Just Label It 
• The Non-GMO Project
• American Public Media