Organic food in supermarkets

Kirri

Edwardia wrote: »

Organic food contains more antioxidants and fewer heavy metals

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jul/11/organic-food-more-antioxidants-study

Did you see the Soil Assoc email - they are going to discuss on Countryfile 20/7.

snowcat75

Kirri wrote: »

Did you see the Soil Assoc email - they are going to discuss on Countryfile 20/7.

There have also been a host of other study's (many larger scale) that have proved no difference.

these study's are worthless, the real need, and the thing that scientific community should be concentrating on is growing higher yielding crops, with lower inputs, with more drought resistance. The simple fact is yields across the world have stagnated in the last 20 years, (especially the UK). So in simple terms we have an ever increasing world population, and we will not have the means to feed them.

Niche markets and ideological views are fine, but only when you have the luxury of a full belly.

A._Badger

1/ It was a metastudy. In other words there was no new research conducted and it relied on the studies it was studying to have been accurate.

2/ There is no clear evidence that antioxidants are beneficial. Some experts have concluded the exact opposite.

Edwardia

World poverty will not be alleviated by handing over a monopoly on maize, wheat and potatoes to Monsanto, it's a company looking for profits. The seeds are dearer than conventional and poor farmers can't save seeds from harvests to sow as they did in the past. The crops are only resistant to Monsanto's weedkiller Roundup.

Breeding higher protein wheat may be why more and more people (my OH included) are developing wheat/gluten intolerances.

World poverty is about more than food, it's about land, capitalism, first world exploitation, poor countries own spending priorities.

My consultant told me that in his opinion organic food was best thing I could do for my retinopathy (now not needing laser treatment). My cholesterol, liver enzymes, blood pressure all excellent even tho I have diabetes.

I can understand hostility to organic food from ppl who can't afford it but everyone can choose not to eat additives, that doesn't cost more.

I just don't buy the argument that I should eat crap to alleviate poverty because that never has worked before. And OH and I give regularly to Oxfam.

This metastudy analysed data from over 400 studies.

Wnd of the day, if you're anti-organic food pls go elsewhere and discuss it, thank you.

snowcat75

Edwardia wrote: »

World poverty will not be alleviated by handing over a monopoly on maize, wheat and potatoes to Monsanto, it's a company looking for profits. The seeds are dearer than conventional and poor farmers can't save seeds from harvests to sow as they did in the past. The crops are only resistant to Monsanto's weedkiller Roundup.

Breeding higher protein wheat may be why more and more people (my OH included) are developing wheat/gluten intolerances.

World poverty is about more than food, it's about land, capitalism, first world exploitation, poor countries own spending priorities.

My consultant told me that in his opinion organic food was best thing I could do for my retinopathy (now not needing laser treatment). My cholesterol, liver enzymes, blood pressure all excellent even tho I have diabetes.

I can understand hostility to organic food from ppl who can't afford it but everyone can choose not to eat additives, that doesn't cost more.

I just don't buy the argument that I should eat crap to alleviate poverty because that never has worked before. And OH and I give regularly to Oxfam.

This metastudy analysed data from over 400 studies.

Wnd of the day, if you're anti-organic food pls go elsewhere and discuss it, thank you.

Im not anti organic, however I am a great believer that people should be far more aware of the facts surround agriculture, that what they read in the UK press,

I was bought up on an arable farm, In the UK, On leaving school I worked for a large company farm (circa 5000 acres), before studying in an HND, specializing in arable production, then finaly doing a degree in Agricultural Engineering, I then worked on farms in both Australia and New Zealand, which were both livestock based. Since returning I now run an arable farm, a forage business, and an Ag Engineering firm (which has received some trade press for some of the innovations designed). All in I have I have about 30 years of experience behind me, our original company has over a 100.

Firstly who mentioned GM?, Roundup is no longer a Monsanto product, Glyphosate has been off licence for about 25 years+, so any mfr worldwide can make the stuff, As for seeds, well were all ready paying high royalty to plant breeders, seed cannot be grown year in year out (C1) first generation should only be saved for 2 years, otherwise there becomes problems with disease and genetic defects within the crop. I'm clueless onto why you have latched onto 3rd world problems, because food security and the need for more of it is going to be a western problem, within certainly my lifetime.

Why would we breed higher protein wheat? Certainly within my lifetime the benchmark for milling wheat is the same 13%, Why 13% because millers need it to form the gluten, maybe Organic wheat can somehow form gluten from lower proteins, although actually it cant so its still milled at 13% and like all flours is blended so it conforms to test bakes, If we don't produce (organic, non organic) to what the millers need its rejected, and Btw what controls the lions share of proteins with in wheat? day length and hours of sun light in grain fill, last year for the first time in twenty years I had a pile of breadmakeing wheat that failed the grade, because we had a dull May, end of.

I wouldn't tell your consultant how to do his job (medical), so why does he think that medical school somehow makes him an expert on food and agriculture?

The soil association has a vested interest a large PR department and some very highly paid directors to make you think that Organic is somehow better its not, non organic food is certainly not "crap", and I find it insulting to industry that has bought you cheep safe foods to insinuate as such.

And for the record If Organic was half the cost of traditional crops, I wouldn't buy it, for the very same reason I wouldnt buy bottled water.

What is welcoming is that since being involved in getting school kids onto farms, there understanding and importance in food and farming is humbling, next year maybe you might come along with the 10 year olds, there's plenty they could teach you.

Kirri

Snowcat, you'd be better starting a thread on discussion time if you want to try and argue your points, this is a thread for organic shopping in the main by people who have for various reasons already chosen organic/additive free etc as a preferable way to eat and want to find new products or get the best quality for the best value etc.

Obviously those interested in organic shopping will also read links on relevant topics but you're wasting your time arguing on here as those interested in organics are hardly going to convert back to large scale pesticide sprayed food in intensive farming.. There are umpteen other threads on cheap mass produced food on this board. If you'd spent 30 years working in and investigating organic farming and still rubbished it, it might be more relevant.

Not to mention in the UK there is more obesity & food waste from supermarkets/farmers than starvation right now (even with benefit cuts..) not to mention corporate greed with pushing out ever cheaper foods. As for the 'even if organic was half the price, you wouldn't buy it' just devalues the pro conventional farming points you are trying to put across as it makes no sense.

Back to shopping, if anyone wants an organic, vegan, gluten free, fairtrade choc bar, the Vego bar (I got it in WF) is nice! Whole hazelnuts in choc.

Belvoir is on offer in Waitrose, 2 for £3.

A._Badger

Kirri wrote: »

Snowcat, you'd be better starting a thread on discussion time if you want to try and argue your points, this is a thread for organic shopping in the main by people who have for various reasons already chosen organic/additive free etc as a preferable way to eat and want to find new products or get the best quality for the best value etc.

Err, Kirri. You introduced the topic. AFAIAA, this forum isn't a sanctuary where only true believers can tread. Snowcat 75 provided some very informed commentary. If you don't like it, that's a shame. But you can hardly blame him for commenting on something you posted about and which was every bit as off-topic as the comments you are now complaining about!

Kirri

A._Badger wrote: »

Err, Kirri. You introduced the topic. AFAIAA, this forum isn't a sanctuary where only true believers can tread. Snowcat 75 provided some very informed commentary. If you don't like it, that's a shame. But you can hardly blame him for commenting on something you posted about and which was every bit as off-topic as the comments you are now complaining about!

I was replying to Edwardia's comment if you want to be picky...
just pointing out there was a discussion on organic food coming up on TV, in case anyone wanted to see it.

Anti organic farming discussion is pointless on this thread which is an organic shopping thread on the groceries board.
If people want to debate org v non org it would be better discussed in Discussion Time.

Edwardia

I posted the link to the latest study on organic food. I posted it for regular readers/posters on this board, about organic food.

People are entitled to their own opinions on organic v conventional and there are plenty of other boards on the forum to go on and discuss it.

This board is about organic food. I don't need to study conventional food for thirty years to know that my own medical test results have shown a huge improvement since going low carb organic.

My left eye was bad enough for consultant to want to give me laser treatment on retinopathy. Six months later it was all gone and I've seen the retinal photos myself.

OH isn't low carb but he discovered that going gluten free organic has gotten rid of stomach aches and bloating he used to have. He doesn't have eczema now either.

That's good enough for me. Other people have made their own journeys to organic food.

There's nothing wrong in wanting to eat food without GM ingredients, horse, dog, irradiation, high levels of chemical pesticides etc.

I'm not wasting time defending my food choices anymore to people who come here from Discussion Time to cause trouble. Next time I'm asking the moderators to move posts about conventional food else where.

Kirri

I've alerted to the Board Guide in the hope this thread can be kept on track, ie shopping for organic.