I first wrote about this a few years ago on my personal blog, and I wanted to move it to Vitagenics with some important updates. This is just more evidence to show why you should only eat the most organic food you can find.
The story is about pesticide exposure, and it shows how a Swedish family eliminated tons of pesticides from their diets in just two weeks. The video and story is here. It is a positive story that shows that we do have the power to protect ourselves.
On the negative side, the people, scientists, and companies associated with that testing were attached by the big agricultural companies. Even Yahoo was trying to spin it in a negative way. Interestingly, the Yahoo video is no longer available, as you can see in the link below.
Here is a great story about GMO vs. Organic that will illustrate a few of the dangers of GMO very clearly for you. Watch the short video of this Swedish family. Equally important, notice the subtle (and grotesque) way that Yahoo plants seeds of doubt in their article.
It is a good read, with a lot of good information, but Yahoo (and/or Lisa Moskovitz, RD, founder of New York Nutrition Group, ) is blatantly wrong in the latter part of the article. I cannot emphasize enough how wrong (and insidious) their comments are:
1. False statement: There are some misconceptions about organic eating that everyone seems to get wrong, says Moskovitz. “The most common one is that organic foods are more nutritious,” she explains. “Very little, if any, evidence supports this theory. For example, an organic carrot is very similar in nutritional value to a conventionally grown carrot.”
Really?! That is absolutely false. The differences can be astronomical.
Even among organic vegetables, nutrition is not equal, and may not even be close. It is well known and well understood that the planet faces a soil crises, and many plants are seriously depleted of many nutrients. Boron is just one good example, as it is essential for us, and yet vegetables can be devoid of it if the soil has been depleted. And most soil has been. More ‘popular’ examples:
Vitamin C content can vary by over 300% and Carotenoids by over 200%. Yes, we are talking about double and triple the nutrition. But in truth, it is far worse, and can easily vary by 1,000%. Here is a study that compares six carrot growers, and note that they are all grown in equal conditions, as this is not a GMO vs. Organic study. It is simply highlighting the differences between cultivators:
You will quickly see the variations of 200 – 300%, but also notice what happens in storage. This is essential, as GMOs (and irradiated foods, and various other chemical treatments) are intended to increase shelf life. Thus, not only do they start off with less nutrition, but that nutrition is further diminished due to storage. By contrast, organic foods spoil quickly, and therefore must be eaten sooner, so they start with more nutrition, and are closer to that level at time of consumption.
It’s easy to see how organic food can have TEN TIMES the nutrition of GMOs and other non-organics. This difference is not merely due to the genetic manipulation, but due to a complex array of factors that are determined by the farming and supply chain practices surrounding the products.
2. True, But (Intentionally?) Misleading: Lisa says “While organic crops can still carry pesticide residue, it is well under government safety thresholds.”
There is no reason to make this kind of statement, other than to plant seeds of doubt in the readers mind. However, I would like to add to her statement, as she should have…
Please do realize that even among organic foods, the differences can vary greatly, so do your homework and find food sources that you trust. It is worth the effort.
– Do not trust everything your read, no matter the source. Dig deep. Lisa gives us a great example in this article, as she is an ‘RD’ from ‘The NY Nutritional Group’ and yet her ‘facts’ are completely false.
– Do NOT trust ‘Organic’ labels! The government requirements for ‘organic’ are often meaningless, and such ‘certifications’ are often too costly for truly organic food suppliers. Government regulations often allow the use of chemicals to varying degrees that will shock you. You are far better served by finding local farms that you can visit or research with confidence. It is not nearly as hard as you think.
Support the small farmers, and you will make yourself and the planet healthier. And hats off to that Swedish family for a nice concise video to illustrate their efforts and the effects.
