Build Up Catch Up - 4/7/23

All organic...only organic?; Book Nook; Big Time for Blueberries

Only Organic?

Organic is one of those food terms that definitely has a health-halo. Here are just a few of the health-related beliefs about organic that some may have…and some counterpoints: 

• Belief: Organic means grown without pesticides. Fact: nope The use of pesticides, whether for organic or non-organic farming, depends on the crop, the growing season, rainfall, pests, and diseases.

DYK: Pesticides are aka crop protectants? The term “pesticide” is an umbrella term that encompasses herbicides (weed-killers), fungicides (fungus killers), rodenticides (rodent killers) and insecticides (insect killers).

• Belief: Organic is pesticide-free and pesticides are bad for pollinators and humans. Fact: Both organic and non-organic farmers use pesticides. Pesticides used by organic farmers can also harm pollinators (see chart below).

Organic Pesticides | Xerces Society...

Some organic pesticides can accumulate in soil and affect humans who apply them if proper protection and procedures aren’t followed.

Pesticide Podcast Pick : Talking Biotech with Dr. Kevin Folta and Dr. Steve Savage - information on pesticides, how they are regulated and clarification on why pesticides are used.

• Belief: The “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean 15” by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) are good guides about pesticide residue to guide what fruits and vegetables to buy and eat. Fact: nope

  We covered that pretty extensively in a previous newsletter we’ll just hyperlink that here and say, buy fruits and vegetables, rinse, eat and repeat - and ignore the EWG.

• Belief: Eating organic will reduce risk of cancer. Fact: Not necessarily. According to the AICR (American Institute for Cancer Research), “…Whereas little scientific evidence indicates that eating organic foods lowers cancer risk, an abundance of evidence points to other diet and lifestyle factors that can reduce risk, such as maintaining a healthy weight, keeping active, and eating a diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables – whether they are organically or conventionally produced.”

• Belief: Organic products are healthier/better for you/more nutritious. Fact: Nope/not necessarily.

  

  The USDA organic label’s purpose is and has always been to identify farming and agricultural practices that meet standards set by the USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP). It was never intended to be used to identify nutrition, food safety or quality. If it was, we wouldn’t have organic soda/candy/cookies etc.

Video: Do you think YOU could tell the difference between organic and non-organic (conventional) fruit?

Bottom Line: If you or your customers want to buy organic products go for it… just make it for the right reasons and don’t make purchasing decisions based on fear and misinformation. If the price is right…the quality is good…if you like the organic farmer…if it appears fresh and if it’s tasty…those are all great reasons to buy organic.

Book Nook - “The Food Police” by Jayson Lusk

This is an easily digestible look at the politics and economics of what's on our plate and why. It challenges assumptions many of us in the food and nutrition space may have about "local" and organic food and agriculture. It may also make you examine more closely if Michael Pollan, Mark Bittman, Marion Nestle and Alice Waters should really be considered our food "heroes".

Wild about Blueberries

It’s been a wild few weeks for blueberries. From being vilified by the EWG in the “Dirty Dozen” (they were #11 of the “dirty” fruits you shouldn’t buy unless they’re organic) to some serious social media notice thanks to a couple of studies, everyone is going bananas about blueberries…. but first, a closer look at these two studies:

The first study with the “help burn fat” claim, was a non-randomized, no control group study of ELEVEN individuals. Despite the photo, it was actually freeze-dried wild blueberry powder that was consumed and not fresh or frozen blueberries. (As Build UP friend Tim Caulfield @caulfieldTim tweeted: “I love blueberries! But this...? Ugh. Hype-filled ("superfood"?) press release on small study (N=11) published in iffy journal (MDPI) )

The second study, attempted to show a link between (wild) blueberries and cardiovascular and brain function and presented a much stronger study design, with a “…double-blind, parallel randomized controlled trial…conducted in 61 healthy older individuals aged 65-80”. But again, while the image, the wording for the image and the headline clearly show and mention fresh (wild) blueberries, the participants did not receive fresh blueberries or even frozen blueberries but a freeze-dried wild blueberry powder.

Image courtesy of Professor Timothy Caulfield | Professor of Health Law and Science Policy (speakers.ca)

For more discussions about nutrition research please see our Build Up Dietitians RESEARCH group

Bottom Line: Blueberries are delicious but adding a freeze-dried blueberry extract powder to a beverage just isn’t the same thing! When it comes to research being reported in the news and on social media; read beyond the click-bait headline, check the study design and methods…and pay little attention to the stock photo being used.