The organic food movement hit the news headlines today when it was revealed that fruits and veggies grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers may not be much healthier for you after all. Simply put, an organically grown carrot probably has the same health benefits as a conventionally grown carrot– it’s just grown with less chemicals. So how about those pesticides and fertilizers? Based on federal regulations and current science, the chemical residue left over isn’t harmful in small amounts.
However, it’s this oversimplification of the science and the movement in general that non-traditional news outlets like Boing Boing jumped on, and took an opportunity to hit back at the reports. While one study may have concluded that organic food provides no other health benefits compared to conventionally farmed fruits and veggies, the tenor of the headline misses the whole point of the organic food movement.
Anthony Bourdain spoke about organic foods at an Australian Broadcasting Corporation event in 2011 and stated that he liked the concept of organic foods because he didn’t want to ingest pesticides and animal droppings. More importantly, the organic food movement has helped people get back in touch with where their food comes from. For Bourdain, the more information we have about our food, the better.
Anthony Bourdain and A. A. Gill: The Organic Debate from on FORA.tv
