Eating Your Veggies: Not As Good For You?

This article is from The Journal of Horticultural Science & Biotechnology It can be read for free at the link in the title.

If you're still not buying the whole "organic-is-better" argument, this study might convince you otherwise. As Davis points out, more than three billion people around the world suffer from malnourishment and yet, ironically, efforts to increase food production have actually produced food that is less nourishing. Fruits seem to be less affected by genetic and environmental dilution, but one can't help but wonder how nutritionally bankrupt veggies can be avoided. Supplementing them is problematic, too: don't look to vitamin pills, as recent research indicates that those aren't very helpful either.

I haven't followed the recent research on vitamin pills. I supposed my frequently forgetting to take them isn't as bad for me as I might have thought. Eating organic though, is something I am passionate about. Frankly, I'd like to die of old age with all of my parts, organs, and hair still attached. There's a great deal I can't control in this overly plasticized, oil hungry world, but I can certainly fork over for organic potatoes and such.

I have friends and family, who insist that eating organic is too expensive, but we spend far less on groceries than most of them do. We're very careful not to buy more than we need and not let food go to waste. Organic or conventional, letting food form the basis for science experiments in the fridge is like wadding up part of your paycheck and throwing it in the trash.

The truth is that I'm so passionate about eating organic foods, I don't succumb to much that's not at the very least all natural. Ok, yes, my idea of health food includes organic sugar, organic chocolate, and organic potato chips. Hey, I want health and quality not a life without the basic necessities! (Yes, I eat organic veggies too!)