Should Christians avoid organic foods?

[OldWiseGuy]

Organic farming is less productive than conventional farming, requiring more land and labor for smaller yields. It also increases the cost of food substantially. Of course this is bad for the poor of the world who need more, and cheaper, food.

So, should Christians avoid organic foods in favor of conventionally produced foods?

 

[Armoured]

Talk about straining at gnats...

 

[Crowns&Laurels]

Organic foods taste a bit better, and are nice for delicacies. Other than that, everything else is overblown. I doubt a person is much healthier or lives longer going to a vegetable stand versus going to the grocery store, or paying almost double for a more vibrant tomato.
What makes a person more healthy is eating in moderation and avoiding bad food. Why go an extra mile for a mere inch?
Organics aren't produced on the basis of health, but for flavor and money. But they'll utilize the fad to get even more money.

 

[Eudaimonist]

Organic farming is less productive than conventional farming, requiring more land and labor for smaller yields. It also increases the cost of food substantially. Of course this is bad for the poor of the world who need more, and cheaper, food.

So, should Christians avoid organic foods in favor of conventionally produced foods?

Generally, yes. But I would say that for everyone, not just Christians.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[Eudaimonist]

Organic foods taste a bit better

Some may (e.g., dairy), but most don't. In blind taste tests, most organic foods are indistinguishable from conventionally grown foods.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[Armoured]

Some may (e.g., dairy), but most don't. In blind taste tests, most organic foods are indistinguishable from conventionally grown foods.


eudaimonia,

Mark

May just be that I'm a pedant, but the term "organic food" always irked me. I mean ALL food is "organic", by definition!
"Organic matter or organic material, natural organic matter, NOM is matter composed of organic compounds that has come from the remains of organisms such as plants and animals and their waste products in the environment."
"An organic compound is any member of a large class of gaseous, liquid, or solidchemical compounds whose molecules contain carbon. "

It's like charging people a 200% mark up on "hydrogenated water".

 

[Jack of Spades]

I mean ALL food is "organic", by definition!

We brick-eaters find that claim very offensive.

(Couldn't help it!)

 

[lisah]

Talk about straining at gnats...

Is that like nit-picking?

 

[Eudaimonist]

May just be that I'm a pedant, but the term "organic food" always irked me. I mean ALL food is "organic", by definition!

They don't mean "carbon-based". The term is clearly given a different meaning.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Talk about straining at gnats...

$8.00 gal milk is more like a camel, or $4 cukes.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Some may (e.g., dairy), but most don't. In blind taste tests, most organic foods are indistinguishable from conventionally grown foods.


eudaimonia,

Mark

Well, the organic coffee I bought was terrible. (I'd better warn Tulc.)

 

[RDKirk]

Organic farming is less productive than conventional farming, requiring more land and labor for smaller yields. It also increases the cost of food substantially. Of course this is bad for the poor of the world who need more, and cheaper, food.

So, should Christians avoid organic foods in favor of conventionally produced foods?

Inasmuch as Christians in the west aren't buying up all that cheap food and sending it to those starving people anyway, it makes no difference.

I don't think the additional processing and chemicals have zero biological effect, and the concept of "organic food" covers a wide range of commercial practices, some of which are not disputable.

When I was a kid, it was all so-called "organic."

 

[RDKirk]

$8.00 gal milk is more like a camel, or $4 cukes.

Where does organic milk cost $8.00 per gallon?

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Organic foods taste a bit better, and are nice for delicacies. Other than that, everything else is overblown. I doubt a person is much healthier or lives longer going to a vegetable stand versus going to the grocery store, or paying almost double for a more vibrant tomato.
What makes a person more healthy is eating in moderation and avoiding bad food. Why go an extra mile for a mere inch?
Organics aren't produced on the basis of health, but for flavor and money. But they'll utilize the fad to get even more money.

Organic agriculture is a niche endeavor well suited to the type of smaller acreages that aren't well suited to large machine production methods. They are typically in hilly or lowland areas, or on marginal soils that can only become really productive by the organic method. That said those producers are mostly dedicated to producing healthier foods while treating their land and animals better than is possible in conventional farming. They gather into cooperatives to assure a steady supply of products.

As an experienced organic gardener I would never consider making it a job as it is just too much work and requires too much time. Work and time are needed to replace all those chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Where does organic milk cost $8.00 per gallon?

Here in Madison, WI I pay between $7.59 and $7.99 per gallon where I shop (admittedly an upscale supermarket however). Conventionally produced milk was $2.99 per gallon.

Did you think $8.00 is way cheap or way expensive?

 

[OldWiseGuy]

May just be that I'm a pedant, but the term "organic food" always irked me. I mean ALL food is "organic", by definition!

The term as used here means certified by the USDA as organically produced according to their criteria for such foods.

 

[keith99]

Some may (e.g., dairy), but most don't. In blind taste tests, most organic foods are indistinguishable from conventionally grown foods.


eudaimonia,

Mark

In a not so blind test requited because of gophers causing crop failure I compared organic zucchini to conventionally grown. Zucchini is Italian for 'little finger' which gives an idea of the proper size. I never did find any conventionally grown that were even close. Always far too large. Being single the issue goes even farther. One conventionally grown Zuch is more than I want, an organically grown one is half the size and just right. At 20% more per pound I save 40% and get what I want!

Oh and the texture is easily distinguishable with the size difference. I would have expected a blind taste test to give very mixed results. One that does not is rather suspect. Organic is rather like Kosher, the technical requirements or either do not result in a better product for those who do not care about that part, but the extra work for those requirements usually means that care is taken in other areas where almost everyone does care. Comparing organic produce to 'conventionally' produced produce where those other parts of care exist is comparing something organic products that are on the shelves to 'conventional' products that are not.

BTW I grew up there were local farms in the San Fernando Valley. I'd take that kind of produce over what is available in the stores organic or not. Want corn and want it picked younger than what they have out at the stand? Just ask and they would go out and pick it. With corn fresh matters. The natural sugars start turning to starch as soon as it is picked. They change even faster if the corn is husked. I will never buy corn that is not in the husk.

Most fruit is picked green and ripens after picking. Organic fruit is often (not always) picked at least a little more ripe. It won't match home grown and picked truly ripe, but it will be better than picked green and rock hard.

 

[Armoured]

They don't mean "carbon-based". The term is clearly given a different meaning.


eudaimonia,

Mark

I know that's not what they MEAN, however the use of "organic" to mean "touchy feely hippy raised free range kale" is an etymologically unsupportable neologism. Just irks me.

 

[Open Heart]

My understanding is that the main reason for buying organic foods is that they are not contaminated with pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, etc.

 

[RDKirk]

Here in Madison, WI I pay between $7.59 and $7.99 per gallon where I shop (admittedly an upscale supermarket however). Conventionally produced milk was $2.99 per gallon.

Did you think $8.00 is way cheap or way expensive?

In my area, conventional milk is $2.98 and organic milk is $4.00.