There's a big debate going on right now about whether organic is 'healthier' or not.
Here's the thing...
We don't have time to keep debating this.
The health of our society and our planet are at stake.
At the heart of the debate are three main talking points:
So out of respect for our time here, I'm going to keep it brief and let you decide what you'd like to do with this information...
1. Glyphosate is toxic.
PAINFULLY toxic. You may know it as Round-Up. It was created in response to a failing agriculture system that began treating the soil like a machine instead of a symbiotic system of microbes and roots and worms and everything in between.
See "The Dust Bowl" for reference. It was BAD. And we aren't doing any better these days with our poor approaches to conventional farming!
Because 'modern' agriculture completely dismissed nature's flow, by overtilling the soils, destroying the nutrient-dense top soil, and removing the very system that protects the plant and its root systems, harsh chemicals were needed to combat the influx of weeds and fungi that came in to attack.
Over the weekend, I spoke to a wheat breeder who explained to me how glyphosate is also used by farmers to halt the wheat growth in the event of an oncoming frost. So in cases where they MAY not use it during the growth process, it may still be used at the end of the plants life.
Either way, you may be getting it in your non-organic foods.
But here's the kicker, "glyphosate (a herbicide but also an antibiotic drug) could be a possible driver of antibiotic resistance..." [1]
Have you ever wondered why you are sensitive to 'gluten' in the US but you can eat all the bread and pasta you want in other countries?
This is why.
It's not the gluten. It's the glyphosate that works like an antibiotic, destroying your gut microbiome and killing off all the good and bad bacteria in your intestines.
I could go on for days but yeah...
You get the gist.
2. GMO means:
Genetically modified organism. For all intents and purposes, we are speaking directly about the seeds that are modified to withstand Round Up, disease, and pests.
With proper regenerative farming practices, nature does this WITHOUT genetically modifying seeds. We just need to restore the land and soil by switching BACK to indigenous practices.
But because we are a greedy society, and don't have patience or compassion for the land (or its people) recent evidence is showing us that many humans are becoming more and more UNhealthy due to heavy amounts of GMO food intake. [2]
"GM foods may impact our reproductive potential at several levels, but primarily through “abnormal steroid hormones and their receptors, toxic products or products which increases the risk of endocrine-metabolic processes.” [3]
Nature knows best.
Humans? Eh. Not so much.
3. Is there really a difference in nutrition between organic vs non?
Good Lord, this is a tricky question...
It comes down to a few things: how well the soil is maintained, how often the crops are rotated, and how close to REGENERATIVE the farm actually is.
See, while organic may mean fewer chemicals (not a total avoidance of ALL chemicals) and zero GMOs, it doesn't always mean the land is fully regenerative. Organic fertilizers may be brought in to add nutrients to the soil.
"Produce can be called organic if it’s certified to have grown on soil that had no prohibited substances applied for three years prior to harvest. Prohibited substances include most synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. In instances when a grower has to use a synthetic substance to achieve a specific purpose, the substance must first be approved according to criteria that examine its effects on human health and the environment." [4]
Kinda vague really.
Plus, three years may not be enough to regenerate the soil SO that the nutrition difference will be noticeable.
This is why it's SO important to know your farmers. Talk to them about their practices. Visit their farm. Learn about who is growing your food.
All this said...
Why I choose organic over non is simply due to NOT wanting to deal with the toxins of glyphosate or the hidden genetic codes in GMO foods.
And up until now, organic was the 'closest' we had to regenerative farming.
We thought it was the BEST we could do to be 'as close to nature' in our farming practices.
And it was.
Until now.
Now that we are learning about regeneration and indigenous practices. Now that we are remembering what the earth REALLY needs from us.
And we dove into that topic in-depth HERE.
What will you do with this information?
How will it influence your choices? (Check out my guide on healthier junk food swaps HERE)
Will you even flinch next time you buy an apple that isn't organic?
The choice between maintenance and OPTIMAL health is in your hands.
PS: A little tip...
If you check out the stickers on your produce and read the number, here's what they mean:
5-digit number starting with 9: organic/non-GMO
4-digit number starting with a 3 or 4: non-organic/conventionally grown, possibly GMO
References:
1: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.
3: https://www.casi.org/node/874
4: https://www.usda.gov/media/
Image Credit: Common Ground Film