Is Certified Organic Really Better?

I don’t know about you, but most people will assume that organic is really better. Organic is really healthy. One thing I do know is that organic is really more expensive!

For example organic avocados are about $2.50, while the regular ones are usually on sale for $1. There are organic apples, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, pretty much any vegetable or fruit you can think of comes in two forms. The organic version, and then there is the cheap version.

I really hate going to the supermarket with someone else. Especially when this person always tells me you should get the organic one. It is better! I personally find that organic strawberries for example do not taste as good as regular strawberries. I can accept that they are grown free of pesticides, and I really like that. But still, my question goes unanswered. Are certified organic products really better?

Most people would say yes in a heart beat. But wait. Did you read the New York Times article published March 3, 2009, talking about this very issue?

It turns out that most people simply assume that organic means healthier, SAFER food. Well, do you remember the huge peanut butter recall of last month? The company that caused the spread of salmonella and the death of several people was, yes you guessed it right, CERTIFIED ORGANIC.

How is that possible you wonder. Well as the article explains it, the Department of Agriculture designates organizations, companies or state workers as Certifiers. Can you believe this?

If that alone didn’t make you question how reliable these certifiers really are, you should remember that certifiers are paid by producers wishing to have their products labeled Certified Organic. What’s more the article continues, the fees range between hundreds to thousands of dollars.

Organics may really be good for you, but how can you choose them if you cannot tell them apart from any others? It seems that all it takes to get the certified organic label on a product is money. Don’t let a label determine your purchase decision based on what that label says, or simply because it is white and green (just like the organic logo).

I was thinking of something positive to say about it, but could not think of anything. I was thinking of saying do your research before buying, but who researches strawberries or peanut butter before heading to the supermarket?

I will continue to buy the regular (cheap) kind of vegetables – well cheap is not the right word when you shop at Safeway – I’ll just make sure that I wash fruits and vegetables very thoroughly.