Organic Foods

At this time, there is no good evidence that eating organic foods makes any health difference.  There are multiple studies showing the people who have to work with lots of farm chemicals are harmfully effected.  There is even research showing that putting pesticides and herbicides on your lawn might have some harmful health effects.  There are studies showing that organic foods do, on average, contain a lower level of pesticides and herbicides. And there is at least one study showing that people who eat primarily organic foods have a lower level of these chemicals in their bodies.

However, for the person who doesn't work with farm chemicals, the amounts of pesticides and herbicides that get into their bodies from store bought food is very small and very unlikely to cause any sizeable amount of harm.  I do wish that there were more studies available and I am amazed that such a popular issue has been so poorly researched.  In the meantime, I save my money and buy whatever is least expensive. 

What most amazes me is how many organic foods will add salt, a proven toxin, to their foods.  Maybe someday there will be evidence that organic foods are really considerably better.

No Difference for Sperm: Comparing 85 Danish organic farmers with high intakes of organic fruit, vegetables, and meat to 171 regular farmers, researchers found no significant trends when looking at 40 pesticides and 160 statistical analyses comparing samples from beginning and end of growing season. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 1999 Oct;37(3):415-23

Organic Chickens Have More Campylobacter: Danish study. The bacteria causes severe diarrhea in the chickens. Newsweek 12/30/02

Newsweek Says No Evidence: "There is still no evidence that pesticides cause ill health at the doses found in food, or that people who eschew them come out ahead." and "In terms of your own health, you’ll profit more from holding back on animal products than by eating organic ones." Article was quite favorable to organic farming, ending with an unsubstantiated claim, "An organic ethic could be the very key to out survival". Organic grains per bushel cost 100% to 200% more. Europe has a far higher percentage of agricultural land devoted to organic with 9 countries over 3.3% vs U.S. 0.2%. Newsweek cover story 9/30/02. 

Thomas E. Radecki, M.D., J.D.

modern-psychiatry.com