A study came out last week that said that - gasp - organically grown foods do not have substantially different nutrients from regularly grown foods. This immediately led to a bunch of smug articles about how all we crazy hippies who buy organic have been wasting our money.

To which I reply, no, actually, we haven't wasted a penny. When we say that organic products are healthier, what we mean is this: Organically grown foods are not drenched in endocrine-disrupting, potentially cancer-causing pesticides and chemicals. Organically grown foods are grown in ways that are better for the land they are grown on, better for the people and animals who live on that land, and better for the water affected by that land. The dairy products I buy aren't full of growth hormones and antibiotics that my body doesn't need or want.

It doesn't just apply to food, either. When I buy soap and shampoo and conditioner made with organic ingredients (and I admit that I don't always), I know I'm getting stuff made with ingredients that were grown responsibly, not tested on animals, and are paraben and sulfate free. That's also better for my health and the health of the earth.

Then there's the benefit that organically grown fruits and vegetables just plain taste better. Stack an organic tomato or peach up against a regular one in a taste test, and I guarantee that the organically grown one will have more flavor and a better texture. They might not look as pretty, but in the end, it is taste that counts. Organic butter tastes approximately 1 million times better than regular butter. The same goes for organic cheeses.

So feel free to make fun of me. I'll get the last laugh in the end.

Posted by Bad Penguin at August 3, 2009 7:59 AM