Carroll Jana Paper3 Final Draft
Jana Carroll
Mark Shealy
English Composition 1
27 October 2013
Going Organic Grocery shopping in today’s society can be extremely confusing for most consumers; I have often pondered over which product to feed my children and if organic food is actually better than processed food. Although I have heard many people say organic food is a gimmick to get more of today’s consumer’s money, or that they just can not afford it; I argue that eating organic is a more healthy choice. “Organic food consumption is one of the fastest growing segments of U.S. domestic foodstuffs” (Crinnion 4). Organic is food that is free of chemical pesticides. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), created The National Organic Program (NOP) in 1990, to regulate food labels in order to guarantee what the consumer read on the label was what they received. “The programs laws state that their symbol can be placed on a food label only if it is 95-100% organic" (Portnoy 25). If a food label claims that it is made with organic ingredients; that means that the product must have 70% of the ingredients grown without pesticides. In an article published in the May/June edition of American Fitness, the author reminds consumers that organic doesn’t mean fewer calories. Shari Portnoy believes that the increase in consumers buying organic food may have led to a rise in obesity rates using the example of cookies (27). Cookies are made from butter and sugar whether it was organic or not they still are a high-calorie food and can lead to obesity.
Consumers purchase organic food because they are concerned about pesticides. According to an article from Environmental Medicine, organic food is not completely free of pesticides, however USDA research showed that “organically raised foods had one-third the amount of chemical residues found in conventionally raised foods” (Crinnion 6). Another article from Agronomy Journal, compiles research from several studies supporting the fact that organic food contains
Mark Shealy
English Composition 1
27 October 2013
Going Organic Grocery shopping in today’s society can be extremely confusing for most consumers; I have often pondered over which product to feed my children and if organic food is actually better than processed food. Although I have heard many people say organic food is a gimmick to get more of today’s consumer’s money, or that they just can not afford it; I argue that eating organic is a more healthy choice. “Organic food consumption is one of the fastest growing segments of U.S. domestic foodstuffs” (Crinnion 4). Organic is food that is free of chemical pesticides. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), created The National Organic Program (NOP) in 1990, to regulate food labels in order to guarantee what the consumer read on the label was what they received. “The programs laws state that their symbol can be placed on a food label only if it is 95-100% organic" (Portnoy 25). If a food label claims that it is made with organic ingredients; that means that the product must have 70% of the ingredients grown without pesticides. In an article published in the May/June edition of American Fitness, the author reminds consumers that organic doesn’t mean fewer calories. Shari Portnoy believes that the increase in consumers buying organic food may have led to a rise in obesity rates using the example of cookies (27). Cookies are made from butter and sugar whether it was organic or not they still are a high-calorie food and can lead to obesity.
Consumers purchase organic food because they are concerned about pesticides. According to an article from Environmental Medicine, organic food is not completely free of pesticides, however USDA research showed that “organically raised foods had one-third the amount of chemical residues found in conventionally raised foods” (Crinnion 6). Another article from Agronomy Journal, compiles research from several studies supporting the fact that organic food contains
Cited: Crinnion, Walter J. “Organic Foods Contain Higher Levels of Certain Nutrients, Lower Lower Levels of Pesticides, and May Provide Health Benefits for the Consumer.” Alternative Medicine Review 15.1 (2010): 4-12. Academic Search Complete. Web. 21 Sept. 2013. Laliberte, Richard, Squire Fox, and Joel Holland. “Today’s Special: 94% Safer Food!.” Prevention 65.9 (2013): 106-117. Academic Search Complete. Web. 21 Sept. 2013. Lairon, Denis. “Nutritional Quality and Safety of Organic Food. A Review.” Agronomy for Sustainable Development (EDP Sciences) 30.1 (2010): 33-41. Academic Search Complete. Web. 21 Sept. 2013. Oz, Mehmet. “The Organic Alternative.” Time 176.9 (2010): 46. Academic Search Complete. Web. 21 Sept. 2013. Portnoy, Shari. “Organic, Natural, and Healthy.” American Fitness 31.3 (2013): 24-30. Academic Search Complete. Web. 21 Sept. 2013.