Naked Science Forum

General Science => General Science => Topic started by: harry on 28/07/2008 15:48:24

Title: What are the benefits of organic foods?
Post by: harry on 28/07/2008 15:48:24
Hello everybody, I have heard a lot about people saying and talking about organic foods. I would like to know that what are the benefits of eating them and what are the various types organic foods……….like which one are better for the body and good supplements too.
Title: Re: What are the benefits of organic foods?
Post by: Bored chemist on 28/07/2008 18:52:56
From the seller's point of view the advantage is that they can charge more money.
I'm not sure of any clear benefit to consumers or to the environment. There may be some but the case is far from clear.
Title: What are the benefits of organic foods?
Post by: jacabkobe on 29/07/2008 13:47:45
Organic food is food which has been produced to standards designed to keep the production more 'natural'. In organic food, blue green algae has benefits like Easing life transitions and transformations, understanding and accepting life experiences, Listening to inner voices of guidance, Rebuilding self-esteem Nourishing and creating joy in our lives I have been consuming products by a company for blue green algae and they have helped to attain a better health. I was also not sure on this the first time…but later I found that this was a real good experience.


mod edit - link removed - people can ask for further info if they would like it, otherwise this just seems like spam
Title: What are the benefits of organic foods?
Post by: rosalind dna on 29/07/2008 17:48:04
With organic farming, no chemicals are allowed as they are in
conventional farming.
That is the rules of the UK's Soil Association.

Also less chances of being allergic to the food and it's related added chemicals.

Although the organic farmers use a sulphur treatment for the fruit trees. Not sprayed.

With animals then their faeces is recycled into fertiliser and into the food again and so on.
Title: What are the benefits of organic foods?
Post by: Bored chemist on 29/07/2008 19:44:31
Nicotine and rotenone are examples of chemicals used by organic farmers. They are both toxic, both to people and to the environment.
There may be less chance of an allergy but, since pesticides are tested for alergenicity (among other things) this is not a strong argument. Also a plant will typically contain hundreds or thousands of chemicals; adding one is not a massive change in the number so it's not likely to increase the risk of an allergic response.

In the absence of pesticides, the plants are attacked by pests. These plants will defend themselves by producing toxic materials; these may cause direct toxicity or an allergic reaction.

At least some of the pests that attack the plants will themselves be toxic or produce toxins. For example one of the most potent carcinogens known is aflatoxin. It is produced by a fungus that affects- among other things, peanuts.
Less fungicide use is likely to lead to higher concentrations of these mycotoxins.

Use of animal waste as fertiliser raises the risk of passing pathogens such as parasites and infections unless carefully managed.

The overall productivity of organic farming is less than that of conventional farming. If we tried to grow all our food organically then we would need to use more land. This would clearly be detrimental to the other species currently using that land.

Recent experiments on organic farming have usually been done in areas where the surrounding land is farmed conventionally. A small island of "unprotected" crops in an ocean of protected ones is actually protected by default. The bugs can't (or are unlikely to) cross the pesticide treated crops to reach the organic ones.

I wonder what the idea behind keeping things "natural" is? Death, famine and disease are natural.
Title: What are the benefits of organic foods?
Post by: lyner on 29/07/2008 21:08:46
They stopped us using lead, DDT and a lot of other things which are actually harmful to us then they just got carried away.
It's the same sort of attitude that says "Don't add sugar to food because it's bad for you -  use honey instead." No! Just get used to unsweetened food or have less of the sweet stuff.
Title: What are the benefits of organic foods?
Post by: that mad man on 29/07/2008 21:51:56
Although I don't buy organic food for the best part of my childhood, 1950-60's most food I ate was organic.
I think most people brought up around that time did eat mainly organically grown food.

My father used to have an allotment and our garden was always full of vegetables that were grown organically. My wife and also my sister grows organic vegetables as they are vegetarians and the only benefit I can tell is they have a better taste! But that maybe subjective.

Unfortunately its been shown that some of the imported "organic" foods are far from that and contain pesticide residue.
Although not food, organic fabrics also seem to be popular especially organic cotton but what most don't realise is that most of the dyes used are chemical in origin so what's the point of buying organic then.

I don't think there is any proof that eating organic is better for you, even our government says that its mainly a lifestyle choice.
Title: What are the benefits of organic foods?
Post by: Bored chemist on 30/07/2008 19:30:09
"They stopped us using lead, DDT and a lot of other things which are actually harmful to us "
Actually, as I pointed out, they didn't stop. The "Organic" movement still alows some toxic materials to be used. Bordeaux mixture is full of copper compounds . It's a heavy metal poison and is persistant in soil. The soil association are quite happy to let you use it and claim your product is "organic".
http://www.soilassociation.org/web/sa/saweb.nsf/a71fa2b6e2b6d3e980256a6c004542b4/d27c3f75f3904b0280257341003bd2c6!OpenDocument&Highlight=2,Soil,Compost

Incidentally I used to buy organic potatoes. They were more expensive and tasted pretty much the same (to me), but they came in smaller bags so they were easier to carry.
Title: What are the benefits of organic foods?
Post by: lyner on 12/08/2008 12:22:49
To which posts are you referring?