People often ask me when it comes to fruits, vegetables and meats which is better, local or organic? My quick answer is local, however I feel that the question is dealing with apples and oranges here (no pun intended!). So here goes a more comprehensive explanation as to why I feel that if you must choose one, go local.
Organic is a food industry term that consumers understand as grown/raised without pesticides, hormones or other industrial substances. The definition is so broad that all sorts of little allowances have eroded the intended high standards of the organic designation. Many food advocates now caution consumers against the perception that organic is still the gold standard for clean food. Rather, they say, it is best to think of organic as good rather than great or pristine. One reason for this downgrade is, for example, the US government’s decision to allow genetically modified (GMO) seeds, grown organically into produce, to be called organic. Not only is this a huge deception perpetrated on the US consumer but now consumers have no way of knowing if their organically produced veggies originated from a GMO seed or not.
Why is GMO a problem? Because we are not GMOs! GMOs are seeds that have been tinkered with in the lab on the DNA level to produce greater yields. Now many GMO crops are created to have a certain nutrient profile. Like the rapeseed, which has been genetically altered to have a higher omega 3 oil content and from which we get the highly processed canola oil. These GMO oils are now being linked with a whole host of degenerative diseases because human cells have no idea what to do with GMO molecules. These Frankenstein nutrients are therefore treated as invaders causing high levels of inflammation which is the first step in many disease processes.
I have barely touched on the complicated issue of the organic designation. It would take volumes to cover it adequately. For more information, I leave you with a few websites that deal with these issues www.nrdc.org and www.organic.org .
Now let’s talk about local. There are so many benefits to buying local produce that go beyond the healthfulness of the fruits, veggies or meats you are purchasing. First of all you are supporting your local economy, making where you live a more prosperous place. Second, your fresh produce is actually fresh! It did not sit on a truck or a boat (from China ñ Heaven forbid!) for days or weeks before you get to eat it. Third, with a local product you can ask the producer directly how the products were grown, processed, packaged and ultimately brought to you. These tremendous advantages.
If you shop at your local farmer’s market or food coop, talk to your farmers or managers. Ask them how the produce was grown, what do they feed their pigs that makes their chops the tastiest you’ve ever had? In chatting with my local producers I have found out that many local veggie farms do not have the organic designation because the fee to get their farms inspected is too high. They practice organic farming methods yet are not allowed to state that they are organic until they pay the hefty fee. There is no way for me to know this without actually having a conversation with my farmer.
Small vegetable farms do not receive government subsidies to offset the high cost of farming (yet corn is heavily subsidized, not the edible kind we enjoy in summer, the horrific GMO kind from which they can only produce high fructose corn syrup ñ thanks for the obesity epidemic! And feed for cows on those vile giant beef farms which produce sick cows, e-coli outbreaks and blood lipid levels in humans that guarantee heart disease). These farmers are true warriors out there. They work very hard to be good stewards of the land and safeguard our health with their good crops all in the face of government policy that works very much against them.
It’s important to engage the people who feed you. Not only does it create community, the knowledge that you gain gives you peace of mind. They care about the quality of the product they offer so you can trust them and feel confident that you are getting the best value for your health and your wallet.
A most excellent Farmer’s Market is in your backyard: http://www.durhamfarmersmarket.com/
Keeping it healthy and delicious,
Cara Demu, RD, MPH
