Why the Organic Label Doesn’t Always Mean Your Food Is Healthier
When you see the word “organic” on your food, you think it is healthier and not made with hazardous chemicals. As explained in this video, none of these assumptions are completely safe.
As we said earlier, the organic label is n’t always as meaningful as it seems . The only products that are actually made without synthetic ingredients are those labeled “100% organic”. Anything else can contain anywhere from 5% synthetic (labeled “certified organic”) to 50% synthetic (labeled “organic”).
Additionally, the video above from ASAP Science explains that even though a product uses organic ingredients, it doesn’t mean it’s healthier. Certain natural pesticides may pose greater health and environmental risks than synthetic pesticides. In addition, while long-term studies of purely organic diets are difficult to find, a meta-analysis of 237 studies found that organic fruits and vegetables did not have any additional nutritional value when compared to their conventionally grown counterparts.
Organic is not a magic label that makes bad food good for you. If you already eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, your diet won’t change overnight because you start buying organic foods. Likewise, if you eat a bag of “organic” potato chips, you are still eating junk food. It just wasn’t done with synthetic pesticides. Probably. Mostly.
None of this means organic labels or products are bad. Organic foods, especially those that are properly labeled, often have lower levels of pesticides, growth hormones, and antibiotics. In addition, they often have a better effect on the environment. If these things are important to you (and if you can afford the difference) then organic foods aren’t necessarily worse, but you’re not guaranteed to get healthier foods just because of the label.
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