Just a thought
When did organic become synonymous with hippies and pseudoscience? That was the question that I frustratingly pondered on today's morning walk. I want to eat fruits, vegetables, grains, and meats (yes meats) still rich in nutrients, and not packed with preservatives and other lovely chemicals to give them a longer shelf life. I want foods that are fresh, not picked weeks ago from across the country or the globe. One of the only places these foods are sold now are in the Natural food stores, and this is where my problem lies.
I have yet to meet a natural food store without a naturopathic section, or where 90% of the customers and employees smell strongly of BO. Sure I might want organic food, but this doesn't mean I want it covered in the germs and other lovely bugs of unwashed employees! Then there is the unavoidable aisle of herbs, aromatherapies, and books on alternative medicine. Now I may want my food as it came from the source, but that doesn't mean I want to defy the truths of science and medicine. And then there is the problem with meat. Why is it that if one wants to eat locally and organically they must also give up being the omnivore we were meant to be? And if you are lucky enough to find a natural food store that carries meat products, how is it that they can cost so much more then the meat in the grocery store that is packed with antibiotics and preservatives? I am pretty sure that the local farmers aren't seeing that extra cash!
There was a time, be it long ago, when the majority of people ate locally. You went to the farm or the orchard to get fruits, vegetables, and meats, and to the bakery to pick of breads and grains. In many areas of other countries, including Europe (not just third world nations), this is still where most people buy there food. I spent a summer working at a summer camp with a staff member from Germany. He was appalled by our lack of fresh foods, especially meats, fruits and vegetables! He was always saying, it's no wonder we are an obese nation. And I think he may have had a point.
Sure it is a wonderful luxury to be able to have all the fruits and vegetables from around the globe, available every season and within a few miles from your house. But this luxury does have its downside. For one, those fruits and vegetables lack many of the nutrients they would had when they were picked, or if they were given the chance to fully ripen on the plant. Also we are limited to only a small sample of the numerous varieties of each type of produce, those which are the hardiest and which have been bred to withstand a long shelf life.
I had the luxury of growing up in a small New England town, where we could pick fresh apples from the orchard, buy corn, squashes, and vegetables from local farmers, and pick fresh berries and peaches from their source. Not once have I found a store bought produce that compares with the rich, satisfying, flavorful taste of these foods. I have never tried fresh game meat, but I have a feeling I am missing out. I am hoping my husband and I will be able to fish, hunt and grow or buy fresh vegetables when we establish in one location. Until then I guess I will have to continue holding my nose and my breath as I rush through the natural food stores, and make due with the pesticides for now.
I have yet to meet a natural food store without a naturopathic section, or where 90% of the customers and employees smell strongly of BO. Sure I might want organic food, but this doesn't mean I want it covered in the germs and other lovely bugs of unwashed employees! Then there is the unavoidable aisle of herbs, aromatherapies, and books on alternative medicine. Now I may want my food as it came from the source, but that doesn't mean I want to defy the truths of science and medicine. And then there is the problem with meat. Why is it that if one wants to eat locally and organically they must also give up being the omnivore we were meant to be? And if you are lucky enough to find a natural food store that carries meat products, how is it that they can cost so much more then the meat in the grocery store that is packed with antibiotics and preservatives? I am pretty sure that the local farmers aren't seeing that extra cash!
There was a time, be it long ago, when the majority of people ate locally. You went to the farm or the orchard to get fruits, vegetables, and meats, and to the bakery to pick of breads and grains. In many areas of other countries, including Europe (not just third world nations), this is still where most people buy there food. I spent a summer working at a summer camp with a staff member from Germany. He was appalled by our lack of fresh foods, especially meats, fruits and vegetables! He was always saying, it's no wonder we are an obese nation. And I think he may have had a point.
Sure it is a wonderful luxury to be able to have all the fruits and vegetables from around the globe, available every season and within a few miles from your house. But this luxury does have its downside. For one, those fruits and vegetables lack many of the nutrients they would had when they were picked, or if they were given the chance to fully ripen on the plant. Also we are limited to only a small sample of the numerous varieties of each type of produce, those which are the hardiest and which have been bred to withstand a long shelf life.
I had the luxury of growing up in a small New England town, where we could pick fresh apples from the orchard, buy corn, squashes, and vegetables from local farmers, and pick fresh berries and peaches from their source. Not once have I found a store bought produce that compares with the rich, satisfying, flavorful taste of these foods. I have never tried fresh game meat, but I have a feeling I am missing out. I am hoping my husband and I will be able to fish, hunt and grow or buy fresh vegetables when we establish in one location. Until then I guess I will have to continue holding my nose and my breath as I rush through the natural food stores, and make due with the pesticides for now.
posted by Sades at
11:25 AM
3 Comments:
Hey Sadie,
I shall now speak for all skeptics of the organic food movement. Or... I'll do my damndest:
I'd say my opposition to the idea that organic food is better for us humans is three-fold.
1. Proponents of organic eating predictably state that non-organic foods are full of pesticides, preservatives and vague things called 'chemicals', all of which are surely harmful and cause a myriad of health problems. The problem with this is that there is zero scientific evidence. Any additive or pesticide used in our foods is absolutely hammered with EPA testing, a fact that cannot be claimed for organic pesticides (which are subject to no scientific criticism because they are 'natural').
2. Social/Environmental impact: Organic farming is obviously not a sustainable means of feeding 6 billion people, if the world converted completely to organic farming it would be devastating. Secondly, the farming practices organic foods require are detrimental to the environment (crop rotations, deforestation, small yields out of large areas). It pisses me off that hippies get a free ride on this one; their food is produced in a more earth friendly manner.
3. Pseudo-science, "Naturalistic Fallacy": The whole organic movement is rife with bad thinking, I don't think that is deniable. Vague notions of harmful chemicals go completely unchallenged. Why is it that something supposedly 'natural' is magically better for us than something altered? Genetic modification has allowed us to imbue our foods with additional nutrients, have much greater crop yields, produce bug resistant foods, year around harvests, and feed the world. Only a few hundred years ago when everything was organic were things better? Was health better? Obviously not, yet the organic movement would love to blame nearly everything on our diet.
You wouldn't believe the amount of idiots trying to get my dad to go on an all-organic diet to treat his cancer. Why does this type of pseudo-scientific, pure-idiotic thinking go unchallenged? It shouldn't, and I can't let an opportunity pass for criticizing it.
It also seems to me the organic movement is part of a large problem with modern living/thinking. Instead of changing their lifestyles people think they can cheat biology by eating 'organic'. You wouldn't believe how popular Trader Joes is over here. But really, who are they kidding?
One last thing, I grew up eating wild game almost every day. Beef from the store is waaaaaay better than moose so don't think you are missing anything!
I guess I should clarify that I was more speaking on local, then organic food. I am well aware that "Certified Organic" food has been proven to have no difference in nutritional quality, and poses the same problem that I mentioned in my post, that it comes from across the country or globe. Also there are many farmers who can not afford the pricey fee to become certified, or in areas like Hawaii where there are so many bugs, pests, and germs it isn't really safe or realistic. I guess I was thinking more of small scale local agriculture, but just had the word "organic" stuck in my mind, since it is the only one with a real concrete definition.
I agree that locally grown food is good. Even though our Haggens grocery store here is overpriced, it still is nice that they get most their veggies from Washington farms. I don't know if that means they taste better or not, though it probably does, but I like the idea of supporting farmers close by.
By the way, wait till you guys get here and can buy black angus beef. I won't buy anything else now; those cows taste good!
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