Knowledge Is Power When Buying Organic Produce Body Wise

Sydney Morning Herald

Thursday September 18, 2008

Paula Goodyer

THERE is no shortage of reasons to buy organic. It's better for us because it avoids the use of potentially harmful pesticides, it's better for the planet and the more we buy it - or so the logic goes - the cheaper organic produce will become. But for many people the shortage is in the funds to buy organic. If the budget is tight, will you spend $40 on a box of organic vegetables to feed two people for less than a week or buy the same non-organic vegetables for $25?

The compromise is to be selective about which products you buy organic, says Jo Immig of the National Toxics Network, a consumer-based organisation working to reduce pollution. Her advice is to make foods you eat a lot of - bread, oats and pasta, for instance - and foods you feed your children priorities for buying certified organic. Milk and butter are other good choices - only a few cents more than regular milk.

If you lived in the US, you could be guided by a fact sheet from the Environmental Working Group listing fruits and vegetables with the most and least pesticide residues, so that consumers can make more informed decisions about when to buy organic or non-organic.

In Australia there's no such consumer information, which means shoppers must use educated guesswork. Immig suggests making soft fruits an organic priority - their skins make them more vulnerable to pests, so they may be grown using more pesticides. Earlier this year, the consumer magazine Choice analysed strawberries from growers across most states and found that most non-organic strawberries contained some residues - three of them above the limits set by Food Standards Australia New Zealand.

Other tips? Buy only local organic produce that is in season and do your homework - look at different sources of organic produce, such as online shopping, local shops and any growers' markets or food co-ops in your area to see which offers the best value. Check out organic meat and poultry in the supermarket - cuts nearing their use-by date are often reduced. Consider that while organic eggs are pricier, they're a nutritious food that's still good value at $6 or $7 a dozen. Remember to read labels on packaged products. Organic isn't always another word for healthy - a food can contain organic ingredients but still be high in salt or sugar.

While organically grown food might expose us to fewer pesticides, the evidence that it's nutritionally better is mixed. Results of a study from the European Union found organic fruit and vegetables have up to 40 per cent more antioxidants than conventionally grown produce, and milk up to 60 per cent more.

However, results of recent Danish research showed no difference in vitamin and mineral content. But what's true for Denmark - or elsewhere in Europe - may not be automatically true for Australia because of different soils, for instance.

Still, there's an interesting theory behind why some research suggests organic crops have more antioxidants. The same plant chemicals in fruit and vegetables that help protect us against disease are also the plants' defence mechanism against pests and disease. By forcing plants to increase their own defences - rather than rely on pesticides - more natural methods of farming may encourage plants to produce more antioxidants.

For a list of organic markets in the Sydney area, see www.organicfoodmarkets.com.au.For more health and nutrition news, see Paula Goodyer's blog at blogs.smh.com.au/lifestyle/chewonthis/

© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

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