Organic Food Myths

15 June 2010

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As people become aware of environmental problems, 'green' products become popular. Hybrid cars, energy efficient homes and organically grown foods are all becoming mainstream. The organic food industry has been growing very rapidly in the last few years due environmental and health concerns. Before you rush out and convert your pantry into an entirely organic one, consider a few misconceptions that many people have about organic food.

1. Organic Food is Lower in Calories. A study was recently published that concluded people perceived organic food as being lower in calories than conventionally grown food. The way organic food is grown or raised has nothing to do with its calorie content. A block of organic cheese will have the same number of calories as a block of conventional cheese. Organic food deals with chemicals that are used to grow or raise the food: hormones, fertilizers, pesticides and fungicides. None of these chemicals deal with calories

2. Organic Food Has More Nutrients. A lot of people think that organic food is healthier because it contains more nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. This is false. Organically grown foods do not use any methods that can boost the nutrient content of a food. Whether organic food is healthier is up for debate since less chemicals are used during the food's growth but having more nutrients isn't one of the benefits.

3. Organic Food is Safer. Because organic food is grown with less chemicals, it is assumed that it would be safer to eat. This isn't necessarily the case. In the past there have been recalls of organic produce due to contamination. Just because there aren't chemicals in your food doesn't make it 100% safe.

4. Buying Organic Means Supporting Locally and Family Owned Farms. This may have been true in the past but as organic food becomes more popular, bigger and bigger corporations will begin to dominate this area of the food industry. Money talks and when a company sees demand for a product, they will work to fill that demand. If people demand organic food, a company will give it to them. Organic food doesn't necessarily mean you're supporting locally owned farms.