Ultimately choosing a limited number of organic foods depends on why you're buying it in the first place.
You spends your money and makes your choice, as the saying goes. According to government statistics, the average family’s food spend has decreased to £40 while its leisure spend has risen to £59 a week.1
"Everyone seems to be unable to resist a bargain. And food seems an area where we’re happy to save money, whereas it should be the most important thing. Some people will spend £30 grand on a car then go and buy a bumper pack of mince" Hugh Fearnley-Wittingstall.
So why are you buying organic food?
If it’s for nutritional reasons...
No food has higher amounts of beneficial minerals, essential amino acids and vitamins than organic food. On average our research found higher vitamin C, higher mineral levels and higher phytonutrients – plant compounds which can be effective against cancer. There’s also less water in organic vegetables, so pound for pound you get more carrot for your carrot.
Full fat milk contains at least 64% more omega-3 essential fatty acids than non-organic full fat milk. Much of the UK population is deficient in these fatty acids, which are important in maintaining heart health and supple joints. Often it only costs a few pence more.
If it’s for taste reasons...
In a recent poll conducted by the Soil Association, 72% said fruit and vegetables tasted better than non-organic produce and 71% said
they’d preferred the taste of organic meat.
If it’s to reduce your pesticide intake...
Eating organic food is the best way of reducing your exposure to potentially harmful pesticides. For a list of the worst offenders please see the information sheet called pesticides in your food. It can be found in the online library under the pesticides category or by clicking on this link: http://www.soilassociation.org/pesticides
However it is important to note that pesticide contamination will vary with seasons, origin and from year to year. The other difficulty in using this information to choose which foods to avoid is that a little of a really nasty chemical may be worse than more of several less toxic pesticides. Government tests also don't cover all foods, so cannot provide a complete picture. Above all there is huge uncertainty about the impact of pesticides on individuals - and especially of multiple pesticides (the cocktail effect). So to be sure we would advise to eat organic.
If it’s for animal welfare reasons...
No system of farming has higher levels of animal welfare standards than organic farms working to Soil Association standards. If you are concerned about animal welfare and antibiotic residues in meat and milk then it is best to stick to organically produced meat - especially Soil Association certified pork, poultry and eggs as our standards are much higher than other organic certification bodies.
Non-organic meat, especially chicken and pork, is artificially cheap because it is intensively produced. But paying a little extra for organic meat is not only better for farm animals - it has health benefits too. Research has shown that organic red meat contains better ratios of omega 6 to omega 3 essential fatty acids and higher levels of the naturally occurring fat, conjugated linoleic acid, known to help prevent cancer, reduce heart disease and help weight control. Research has also shown that organic chickens contain 25% less fat than non-organic chickens.
If it’s to avoid GM ingredients..
Buy organic food – it is the only way you can be sure of avoiding GM.
Huge amounts of GM soya and maize are imported into the UK and fed to animals which produce much, if not most, of the non-organic pork, bacon, milk, cheese and other meat and dairy products in our supermarkets. As food from GM-fed animals isn’t labelled, consumers can’t avoid it – unless they only buy organic produce.
If it’s to reduce your in take of additives...
Only 32 of the 290 food additives approved for use across the EU are permitted in organic food. The controversial additives such as aspartame, tartrazine and hydrogenated fats are banned in organic food. Therefore you can avoid a wide range and large quantity of potentially allergenic or harmful additives if you eat organic food.
If it's to support a living countryside...
Organic farming is better for wildlife, causes lower pollution from sprays, produces less carbon dioxide and less dangerous wastes and increases jobs in the countryside.
There are so many reasons to choose organic it ultimately depends on what you value. But there are a few changes to the way you live, shop and cook which may help you increase the amount of organic food in your diet...
- Shop at farmers' markets and/or get a box scheme delivered - research has shown that, on average, organic fruit and vegetables are substantially cheaper when bought directly from the farmer compared to supermarkets.
- Eat meat in moderation - good organic meat will cost more than a Big Mac because it is better quality. So save eating meat for what it should be - a delicious treat - and it should help you save money too.
- Eat cheaper cuts of meat - for example, try to buy chicken thighs instead of fillets, or rump steak instead of sirloin. The fore end of animals tend to be cheaper and can be very tasty cooked slowly.
- Cook batches from scratch. Processed food can be convenient but it’s not cheap. Take soup for example – a batch of vegetable soup may cost you around £3 to make yourself and see you through the best part of a week; whereas a shop-bought organic soup might cost you £2.50 and only give you one meal.
- Set up or get involved in buying groups - for more information, please call 0117 9142425.
Footnotes:
1 (Office for National Statistics) 2005
The figure spent on food and non alcoholic drinks has fallen steadily from over a fifth of spending (21%) in 1982 to 16% in 2004-05.
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