Over the last 10 years, I’ve heard the following two-word defense of a food selection hundreds of times.
It’s organic.
What exactly does that mean?
In the pursuit of eating better, it’s important to clarify the definition of certain terms to avoid slick marketing.
Are organic cereals, ice cream, chips, soda and frozen dinners actually healthy options?
This post aims to clear things up so that you can make an informed decision about the foods you choose for your family.
Is Organic Food healthier?
The Definition of Organic
The chemical definition of “organic” is carbon-containing and not overly helpful here.
The commercial definition that applies to our food is a little longer.
It’s worth noting that organic regulations vary by country and a universal set of organic standards has yet to be established.
Chances are if you’re reading this, you live in America and are primarily concerned with the USDA definition:
“Organic agriculture is the application of a set of cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that support the cycling of on-farm resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. These include maintaining or enhancing soil and water quality; conserving wetlands, woodlands, and wildlife; and avoiding use of synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering.”
This sounds like a good thing, right?
I’m just not sure how any of that relates to organic chips and ice cream.
Organic Labels
The following labels are often found on foods in your local grocery store.
100% Organic: Products must contain 100 percent organic ingredients.
Organic: At least 95% of ingredients are organically produced.
Made with Organic Ingredients: At least 70% of the ingredients are organic. The remaining 30 percent must come from the USDA’s approved list.
When it comes to the word organic, many people automatically assume it means healthy.
If we’re talking about organic chicken or organic broccoli, I understand the correlation.
The blurring of lines however begins with the words “organic ingredients“.
Why People Go Organic
Organic foods often cost 40% to 100% more than conventional foods.
What would drive consumers to willingly pay this much more for their food?
A U.S. based survey of 770 consumers looked deeper into this question and found the top 3 reasons for purchasing organic foods were:
Healthy – 48%
Pesticide-Free – 19%
Environmentally Friendly – 15%
Several studies on organic foods have noted that organic consumers tend to be more health conscious and are more likely to be physically active.
Additionally, vegans and vegetarians are more likely to be organic consumers.
What the Studies Say
There have been several studies on organic foods over the last 20 years.
In 2024, one of the largest systematic reviews was published on the comparison of nutrient composition and chemical content of organic foods versus conventional foods.
Here is a summary of their findings:
Neither organic nor conventional foods have universally higher or lower nutritient content. In some cases organic foods are higher (as with Vitamin C) and in other cases, conventional foods were found to be higher (as with lycopene and beta-carotene). Therefore, the collective evidence does not support the claim for nutritional superiority of organic foods.
Specific organic foods may have a higher content of certain heavy metals than their conventional counterparts (and vice versa). Therefore the widespread consumer belief in the universal superiority of organic foods over conventional foods in this regard is unfounded.
Both organic and conventional foods can contribute to diet quality, which mainly depends on the selections of minimally processed foods and a preference for trustworthy, healthy products, regardless of organic or conventional labels.
Organic farming in most cases results in lower pesticide residue levels. However, conventional production also has strict food safety regulations which aim toward keeping residues within safe limits.
Here’s a quote directly from the authors of the study:
“The pro-organic movement is grounded in the belief that organic food is free of agrochemicals, nitrates or other residual contaminants, creating the acceptance that organics are superior and practically free of dangers. However, some studies have indicated higher nitrate levels in organic foods compared to conventional foods, mainly in vegetables. The consumers’ belief that organic food is a safer alternative is not supported by science due to the lack of consistent scientific evidence for generalizing such superiority.”
Conclusion
For many people, this will be a hard pill to swallow because of the strongly held belief that organic means better.
This isn’t to say you should or shouldn’t purchase organic products. This is an individual choice but you should have a deeper context for these decisions beyond simply accepting organic as superior.
Most substances, whether good or bad, have a threshold for toxicity.
This is one of the fears that the marketing of organic products plays upon.
When it comes to pesticides, it’s important to remember that it’s the dose that makes the poison.
Vitamin A, selenium and copper have lower toxicity thresholds than artificial sweeteners (which have also been deemed as bad for you). Even water can be harmful beyond a certain intake amount.
This remains a fascinating area of research and future findings may be more definitive.
Until then, this is what the independent studies tell us.
