How food is grown or raised and the standards of the country of origin has gained increasing attention in recent years. In some areas, the science is lacking and theoretical relationships are considered. In other areas, direct health impacts are established and recommendations are clear. As we resolve to “Eat Healthy” thinking about where food comes from is important and there is a lot of unclear information out there. For today, I’d like to discuss the terms organic and local.
Organic: The term organic is defined differently in different countries. The USDA certifies farms and growers as organic in the United States. A multitude of regulations must be adhered to in order to obtain organic certification. Feel free to read more about US organic farming at USDA.gov https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2012/03/22/organic-101-what-usda-organic-label-means
A quick definition is free of pesticide. A common misconception is that organic produce has more nutrients than its traditional counterpart. This is not the case. The same variety of tomato picked at peak ripeness will have the same nutrient density in traditional growing practices and organic growing practices. Now, if you are looking to reduce chemical exposures, then organic is the way to go. Organic produce is more limited with the seasons in our area and is typically more expensive. There are also many local farms that grow with organic practices but do not have the resources to obtain USDA organic certification. These local farms should not be overlooked as sources of natural, nutrient dense produce.
Another interesting thing about organic is that not all traditionally grown produce is sprayed with pesticide. Some fruits and vegetables are naturally hardy and pest resistance (think asparagus) or have a membrane that is less permeable and often removed before cooking (think eggplant). When you’re evaluating where to put your food dollars, purchasing some traditional produce may be just as healthful but a cost savings. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a non-profit organization that does this research for consumers. The EWG publishes the Dirty Dozen (foods to buy organic due to high level of contaminant) and Clean Fifteen (foods safer to purchase from traditional growing practices due to low levels of contaminants) annually. EWG also has valuable information on drinking water, sunscreens, and more.
Local: As spring and summer months approach the signs for “locally grown” abound. Confused by what is “local”? You aren’t alone because there is no universally accepted definition of local. Major grocery chains may have their own definition of what local means. How you think of local may different from that. Some define local as within the state or within several hundred miles, or even just on the same coast. There may be no difference between “local” produce and “regular” produce in some instances. Local produce has such a positive connotation because of the suggestion that it supports local farmers, makes less of an environmental footprint, and because produce picked at peak ripeness is more nutrient dense. Theoretically things picked locally are closer to ripe and have better taste and nutrient density. So go ahead and buy local, just realize local and organic are not the same thing and each vendor has their own definition of what local means.