We are constantly being bombarded with news stories about the latest study involving food. Unfortunately, there is often a disconnect between the facts of the study and the way it is reported in the media. For some reason, this seems to be particularly true regarding the subject of organic foods.
The media recently covered a UK report about organic foods with the headline "Organic has no health benefits." This is an example of the irresponsible journalism that abounds with regard to science in general and the food industry in particular. If you read the article, you will find that this headline in no way represents the information in the article.
First, the studies only considered the "nutrition" of organically grown items and "did not look at the use of pesticides or the environmental impact of different farming practices." In that case, how did we get to the sweeping statement that "organic foods have NO health benefits?"
Second, the report has been criticized by other scientists as needing "better research." In other words, just because someone does a study, doesn't mean that their research methods reach the standard required to validate the results.
Third, only 55 studies of 162 were included. (What did the other 107 studies conclude?) Was there a bias in play that only about one-third of the studies were included in the report?
The big problem with this kind of journalism is that many people will only read the headline and miss the real information in the article. Even if you accept the premise of the report, that organic foods are nutritionally the same as conventionally produced foods, there is the larger issue of pesticides, hormones and cruel and unsafe farming practices that motivate people to buy organic.
To make matters worse, a number of pundits on the airwaves picked up the headline and ran with it, regaling their listeners with a diatribe against the concept of organically produced foods. These are the same people that look on so-called "global warming" as "junk science."
It seems that, if we agree with the study, it's based on "real science," and if we don't agree, it's "junk science?" Aren't we better than that?
I am convinced that what we eat and how we eat plays a major role in how we feel and particularly, how well we are. For this reason, I would like as many people as possible to become more aware of what healthy eating involves, and of the extreme benefits that can be found in being conscious of what and how we eat.
Eat and be healthy with my warmest regards,
Suzy Staywell
http://healthy-eating-support.org
http://www.healthy-eating-support.org/small-bites.html
