THE DIRT
A recent study found that, 91% of apples tested contained pesticide residues, with most containing residues of more than one pesticide (3).

So what’s the answer? Peeling our apples? Not a great solution given that a large proportion of the nutritional value is in the skin.

We need to find a healthy and sustainable alternative, that alternative is Organic food. Far from being the new ‘fad’, Organic food, has actually been the basis of our diet throughout the ages. Our great grandparents ate “organically.” The 20th century has seen the development, and use of a vast number of man-made chemicals in both our food and our environment. (5). Many of these chemicals have never been tested for safety (3).

What is Organic Food?
Organic food is grown and harvested without the use of synthetic chemicals including; fertilisers, hormones, antibiotics and pesticides. Furthermore it is not genetically modified. Organic Farming provides ecosystem sustainability and a safe, nutritious food production chain that conserves water, enhances soil health and promotes wildlife biodiversity (1). Purchasing Certified Organic food is your guarantee of these benefits.

The Heath Benefits of Organic Food
Organically grown food has negligible pesticide residues and contains consistently higher antioxidant and mineral levels than conventionally grown food. In particular, some organic produce has been found to be; 390% higher in selenium (low selenium has been linked with an increased cancer risk (2)), 138% higher in magnesium, 63% higher in calcium and 59% higher in iron (6). Additionally Organic food is generally higher in cancer fighting phytonutrients and Vitamin C.

Residues and their Risks
Conventionally grown produce, can also be contaminated with a variety of synthetics, including cadmium, which is found in synthetic chemical fertilizers. Cadmium can block the absorption of important minerals including zinc, magnesium and selenium. Additionally, the high level of nitrates in conventional food, also due to the use of synthetic chemical fertilisers, can facilitate carcinogenic nitrosamine formation. (2)

While there are ‘safeguards’ in place, to protect us from damaging chemical exposure, these MRLs (maximum residue limits) that are based on ADIs (acceptable daily intakes), have several flaws. Firstly, ADIs are based on exposure to individual chemicals rather than the cocktail of synthetic chemicals found in and on our food. Secondly, a large number of the commonly used pesticides have never been tested for safety (3).

Many of the pesticides still in use have been linked with a variety of problems ranging from mild acute symptoms, such as headaches and skin irritation; to cancer and death after chronic exposure. It is valuable to remember that DDT, an organochlorine pesticide and highly persistent organic pollutant, was used widely in Australia until 1987, despite the fact that it was banned in the USA in 1972. Ironically, the advertising slogan was ‘DDT is good for me-e’.

Additives in Our food
Australian standards trail the world when it comes to restriction of additives allowed in food. More than 30 suspected or known carcinogens, many of which are banned in other countries, still find their way into processed food on our shelves. Additionally, many of the most commonly used additives can aggravate ADHD, asthma, eczema and a range of other disorders. (4)

Pesticides and Children
Children are at the greatest risk from pesticide contamination in food, due to their high level of food consumption compared to body weight, and immature immune and nervous systems. Children on an organic diet have less than one sixth of the pesticide residue in their urine than children fed on a non-organic diet.

The Cost Debate
There is no doubt that Organic food can be expensive, however this reflects the true cost of real food production. Simple changes to your spending habits, such as cutting down on processed foods and take-away nights, can create room in your budget for more organic whole foods.

G SPOT
Consider this fact from the Cooksmart Australia Team, when you purchase crisps, you are paying more than $20 per kilo for potatoes. This is far more than you would ever pay for organic potatoes!


COME CLEAN

• Buy local certified organic fruit, vegetables, eggs, dairy and meat whenever possible. Join a local delivery scheme or find your local organic retailer.

• Buy local produce that is ‘in season’ for optimal nutrition.

• When you can’t buy organic, wash produce thoroughly in water and castile soap. This will not remove all pesticides; however it may remove the fungicides added after harvesting.

• Purchase certified organic and fair trade tea, coffee and chocolate. These heavily sprayed crops often originate from the developing world, where many Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are still used.

• Avoid products packaged in polystyrene trays and plastic wrap, not only can these products allow hormone-disrupting, synthetic, plasticizing agents to leach into the food; they represent an environmentally unsound and wasteful practice.

• When buying processed food, buy Organic, that way you are assured of minimal preservatives and additives.

Organic food is a logical solution to both the health risks and environmental degradation associated with conventional food production. Put simply, if the bugs won’t eat food sprayed with chemicals, why would you?

References
1 Ecos Magazine October Nov 2005
2 The DEAL by Dr Peter Dingle
3 Environmental Working Group (www.foodnews.org)
4 Additive Alert by Julie Eady
5 The Optimum Nutrition Bible by Patrick Holford
6 The Food Revolution by John Robbins