Organic food is better.  People in the organic movement have long believed this passionately, and research is starting to prove them right.  While most government and health experts will agree that it matters what kind of food you eat, it also matters how that food was grown.  Food that is grown without industrial fertilizers and pesticides is more nutritious and contains fewer toxins.  More and more research is demonstrating that organically grown food affects our health and the health of our environment.  As the industry becomes more organized, it is becoming easier to get organic food you can trust.

People choose organic food for many different reasons.  The impact on our environment is on major reason; the damage done to soil and water by pesticides and fertilizers lasts for decades and the chemicals themselves are made from petroleum and other fossil fuels.  Another reason often cited by organic consumers is that organic food simply looks and tastes better or more natural.  

While we are very concerned with the health of our environment, our immediate concern is human health.  The reason we recommend that you choose organically grown fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy that are produced organically is the research supporting two key concerns:

1. Organic food contains more vitamins and minerals.  While this obviously depends on the food and the farm it is grown on, dozens of studies have shown higher levels of vitamin C, trace minerals, antioxidants, flavonoids and polyphenols in organic food.  These are directly linked to lower rates of cancer, heart disease, dementia and many other illnesses.
2. Organic food contains fewer pesticides.  While governments have been slow to react to it, research has left scientists with no doubt that pesticides are harmful.  They are linked to many childhood cancers, brain and nerve disorders, hormone problems and decreased fertility.  While many pesticides remain in the soil for decades after their last use, almost all organically grown foods contain fewer of these harmful substances. Note: please support a ban on the cosmetic use of pesticides on our lawns.

Modern agriculture focuses on producing as much food as possible, but the end result appears to be generally lower quality food.   

Part of the reason that many people are skeptical about more expensive organic food is that they are not sure they can trust that it is truly organic.  This is definitely a problem, and our government has been slow to fix it.  While over 40 countries have national standards and regulations for organic food, Canada’s rules are still being phased in.  For now, Quebec and British Columbia have provincial organic standards but Ontario does not.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) ensures the quality and safety of our food in Canada.  They will be the new national organic watchdog, and will certify food with a new Canada Organic logo.  By December of 2008, in order for a food to be called organic, 95% of the ingredients in a food will have to be grown organically.  Only those chemicals in the CFIA Permitted Substances List can be used to grow organic food.  

There is a lot of research showing that organic food is more nutritious, but it is much more difficult to prove that it actually makes us healthier.  As we become more aware of the issue as a society, more studies are being done.  For now, a few interesting studies are worth mentioning:

• An Italian study found that people who ate organic fruits and vegetables had higher levels of antioxidants in their blood
• A study of 110 children in Seattle found pesticide levels in their urine to be more than twice as high if their parents used pesticides in the garden
• Male workers on organic farms have higher sperm counts than workers on farms that are not organic
• Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) that have been banned from use for over twenty years are still present in the soil and in our food.  High blood levels of these POPs have been linked to many health problems, including a 30x increase in risk of diabetes.  The diabetes epidemic may have more to do with pesticides than obesity. 

Avoiding fertilizers and pesticides is just one issue for people concerned about the how we produce food and how it affects our world.  Biodynamic farming is an approach to farming that is based on the balance of nature, and is a complete ‘return to nature’.  Cows that are fed grass instead of corn do not grow as quickly, but they do not require antibiotics and the beef they yield is much healthier, with less harmful fat and lots of healthy omega-3 fat.

More and more people are buying their food directly from the farmer.  One convenient way to do this is by joining a group that practices Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA).  When you join a CSA, you don’t pay for your food by the pound – you pay for the entire growing season.  You get a basket or a box of fruits and vegetables delivered to your door every week.  As the weeks go by, the harvest will change and the foods you get will change too.  

Farmers benefit from a regular income and higher prices for their food. This can help level the playing field for small family farms who could not otherwise compete with corporate agricultural outfits that use large-scale, industrialized farming techniques,  What you get is food that is fresher, hopefully healthier and usually cheaper.  You also benefit from a direct relationship with the people who make the food you eat.  

There are a handful of CSAs in Ottawa, and over two thousand in North America.  The concept began in Japan and Europe in the 1960s and is a growing force in the food industry that connects people to their food and their farmers in a powerful way.  It is likely to grow in the future, as the rising cost of fossil fuels will make it more expensive to have our food trucked in from warmer parts of the world, and will make fertilizer more expensive.

While organic food is more expensive, research suggests that it is simply better food.  It makes perfect sense to pay more for a more comfortable pair of shoes, a faster car or a larger television set.  If your financial situation allows you to buy organic food, you should consider it money well spent.

The Canadian Organic Growers website has a lot of useful information about organic food in Canada.  The Ottawa chapter has put together a very useful Organic Food Directory where you can find grocery stores, butchers, farms, CSAs and many other resources.  There is no better time to go organic.