Is organic food just a scam?

**Will** · 03-23-2006, 01:08 PM

Organic farming is a billion-pound industry. It is promoted by a stream of propaganda from green lobby groups, notably the Soil Association, and subsidised by government. Supermarkets like it because premium prices increase profits. Every lifestyle magazine regards organic food as synonymous with healthy living and every TV chef tells us that organic food tastes better.

The trouble is, there seems to be little evidence that it is any better for us, what do you think?

had_enough · 03-23-2006, 03:40 PM

Unless one is a veggie, then it means nothing to the rest of us, excepting costing us more for the produce.
All the bunk about pesticides is another hype as it effects minimal amount of people, and the rest of us simply get on with it

Bruv · 03-24-2006, 12:22 PM

had_enough....were you not aware that there is Organic Meat that is fed on organic pasture and not intensively reared and drugged up with steroids etc like ordinary livestock?
Its not too long ago that we were feeding our cattle with the remains of other cattle sparking the BSE crisis, the world wide ban was only recently lifted after widespread culling of British cattle, costing you and I millions in compensation.
But to answer the question....of course Organic food is a big con...but saying that it is also better for you.The farmers and supermarkets have jumped on the fears of people who dont want pesticides and other rubbish in their food.
My personal belief is that a lot of todays ills will be found out to be directly linked to the foods we eat and the way they are farmed and or processed.
Did you know that corpses now take longer to decompose because of all the preservatives "they" stick in our grub?
Its a worry isn't it? What else do we swallow, just to make Mr Tesco and Asda's produce stay bright and fresh on the shelf longer?

had_enough · 03-24-2006, 03:10 PM

The shops only sell what they can get away with. The food inspectors should actually be checking what is going out at factorys and whats ending up in our stores.
But does a small amount of people who have side effects, justify the extra work and costs.

Bruv · 03-25-2006, 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by had_enough

The shops only sell what they can get away with. The food inspectors should actually be checking what is going out at factorys and whats ending up in our stores.
But does a small amount of people who have side effects, justify the extra work and costs.

Aint really true.....food and food production is one of the most tightly regulated areas.There are commonly used additives here that are banned elsewhere.
A batch of chilli powder was contaminated a while back, (colour added to increase its value) and its use was traced.Many companies had to withdraw products due to using this chilli in various every day staples.
A relatively small amount of a condiment like chilli can contaminate a lot of food....and harm a lot of people's health.The cost is well worth it.

had_enough · 03-26-2006, 08:40 AM

The risk assessment on eating comtaminated food is the same as for travelling in a car. You pays your money and takes your chances.
The problem with all this is that the more they regulate foods and additives, the more sickly we will get. We have all seen the tv ads telling us to kill all germs with this or that product, but if they had their way, we would all live in a clean room enviroment and would die at the slightest germ molecule floating around.

Fortunately, our bodies were designed to assimilate most germs and nasties and fight off the rest. So before we rush headlong into a remove all additives etc etc, lets think of the unwanted consequences.

Bruv · 03-26-2006, 11:09 PM

We are talking about Chemical or Synthetic additives not a bit of dirt had_enough, there is a big big difference.
They add artificial sweeteners and colouring to lots of things just to catch your eye.
The chilli I mentioned earlier was coloured by an unscruplolous trader using non edible dye, raising his selling price substantially.Coca cola Fruit crush drink contains wood rosin.....I read today...what the hell is that?

had_enough · 03-27-2006, 09:08 AM

No amount of organic gardening will ever get rid of all the so called chemical additives that comes naturally from the soil.
For example, I read somewhere that radiations levels in the UK are higher since the iraqi war started and this is caused by depleted uranium ammunition being used.
The whole planet is coated with chemicals. Its no use us screaming for organic produce, when the poisoning is coming from elsewhere around the world.

The con is that if we grow organic food here, it will be free of chemicals, which is a big lie.

The Relic · 03-27-2006, 02:22 PM

Follow your argument, and you might as well take ten aspirin instead of just a couple.

Even if you accept that all food, even organic, is in some way corrupt, then organic foods remain a great deal less corrupt than those which have been raised the chemical way. Put it this way, I'm perfectly happy to wash and organic carrot and let my kids eat it raw than I would be with a chemically fertilized one, which always retains growth agents in its outer flesh.

Organic production is not only healthier but better for the environment. For example, run off chemical contaminants from fields have long played havoc with eco-systems in all our rivers, to the extent that they are far less amenable to life than they were a hundred years ago.

Happytalk · 09-10-2006, 04:27 PM

Organic produce is not only better for you, it is also better for the animals. Therefore it is the only ethical way to eat food. I'm a veggie but if i was a meat eater I would be worried that meat that is pumped full of hormones and chemcals is likely to make us grow a third arm in generations to come!

We know that certain meats cause cancer (eating beef 3 times a week or more has been proven to give you bowel cancer), is this because of the chemicals and hormones pumped into it or is it because beef has always been bad for us? I'm willing to bet its the former.

I used to eat eggs but the idea of eating a boiled/scrambled/fried egg sickens me now but when I did eat them I would always buy organic as you know that the chicken has some sort of life for feeding us. I find it abhorent that animals are treated no better than machines in order to feed us.