Amazon's planned acquisition of Whole Foods highlights the explosive growth in organic
food sales.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says that foods labeled organic must be grown without
synthetic fertilizers, and be free from Genetically Modified Organisms. Meats must be from animals
raised without anti-biotics or growth hormones and with access to the outdoors.
Its fans say organic foods have greater nutritional benefits and can even help fight cancer. That's
why they , sometimes spend nearly twice as much on for an organic food product compared
to a non-organic one.
But are organics really healthier? And are they really worth the money?
Here's the Situation…
Concerns about the growing use of pesticides and use of antibiotics in animal feed
prompted some consumers to look for so called organic food.
In 1990 Congress passed the Organic Foods Production Act to develop national standards,
and organic products became more common.
Mainstream grocery chains started their own lines of organic food, and larger food companies began
acquiring smaller health food companies to get in on the action.
Now, from the big boxes to the small specialty stores, three-quarters of U.S. grocers sell
organics foods.
Here's the Argument…
Proponents say that organic produce has more nutrients, including antioxidants and vitamins, than
conventionally grown fruits and vegetables. They also suggest eating organic limits exposure
to toxic chemicals that may lead to certain cancers.
But while eating organic does reduce your exposure to pesticides, there's not evidence
that the trace amounts in food are a danger. Scientific surveys haven't found that organic
foods are much more nutritious. And, just because food is organic, it doesn’t mean
that it's good for you. It may be nearly as high in sugar, sodium or other unhealthy ingredients
as non-organic products.
Yet more farms are going organic to feed the appetite for pure foods. With Big supermarket
chains like Kroger selling more organic products, and Amazon's determination to drive down prices
at Whole Foods, organic foods should only increase in popularity. Healthy or not.