Eating Exclusively Organic - Watching What Goes Into The Body

By Drew Mitchell/Farm to Fork

Is organic food actually healthier than traditional food?

This is the question that I attempted to answer by eating only organic products for an entire week.

The recognized and approved symbol for organic foods.

When I revealed my plan to forego normal meals and on-campus dining, I received mixed reactions from friends and colleagues. Some told me that I would have to get a second job in order to pay the grocery bill; others encouraged me and said that I could be their “organic guinea pig,” giving them insight about the effects of organic eating.

Despite a few negative comments, I was still excited about my food adventure. Before taking my first bite, I began with research.

Barbara Haumann, press secretary for the Organic Trade Association, shared a study from the French Agency for Food Safety, finding that organic foods have marginally lower amounts of nitrates, pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides. Seeing great value in organic products, Haumann said that the association has multiple plans in place to encourage farmers to grow organically, including cost share programs and partnerships between seasoned organic farmers and new growers.

Dennis Avery, director for the Center for Global Food Issues at the Hudson Institute, had a different opinion about organic food.

“No one has ever been able to find any evidence that organic is better in any way,” Avery said.  He said that too much land is wasted on organic food and that it should not be pursued.

Even more confused about organic food than when I began my research, I decided to speak with a (hopefully) non-biased nutritionist.

Karen Mason, associate professor of nutrition at Western Kentucky University, said that the nutritional advantage of organic food is debatable.

“There tends to be more minerals… and there seems to be more antioxidants in organic produce,” said Mason, who worked in nutrition research before completing her Ph. D. in nutritional sciences.

Mason said that the public has a perception that organic foods are healthier, which leads to increased sales of organic foods. As an individual, Mason said that she incorporates some organic food into her diet; however, she does not recommend exclusively organic diets to patients.

“My recommendations align with the American Dietetic Association’s view on organic foods,” Mason said. This viewpoint instructs dietitians to recommend that patients increase their intake of vegetables, fruits, non-fat dairy products, and whole grains, whether they are local, organic, or conventional.

Feeling more informed about my new eating habit, I was ready to begin.

My food adventure began with less-than-satisfactory visits to the local Kroger and Wal-Mart stores in search of organic foods. I was able to acquire small amounts of organic produce and a few of the basic essentials – cereal, milk, and juice. But in order to feed myself for an entire week, I knew that I must search elsewhere.

Going into Whole Foods Market in Nashville, Tenn.

I drove to Whole Foods, in Nashville, Tenn. and spent nearly $200 on a week’s worth of food.

“Have I gone insane?” I thought to myself as I slid my credit card through the reader and visualized my bank account quickly shrinking. With my wallet aching, I knew that I must persevere.

After returning home, I fit the food into my small dorm room before going out for sushi, my version of the last supper. While eating my last bite of spicy tuna sushi, the familiar taste lingered in my mouth as I wondered what different tastes awaited me in the coming week.

My research began with a bowl of Kashi Red Berries cereal and a glass of skim milk. The cereal tasted similar to the type that I sometimes eat but was not as satisfying as the cinnamon roll or chicken biscuit that I normally pick up in the mornings.

During the week, my organic breakfasts cost an average of $3.14. Obtaining the meal through traditional means from the grocery store would have cost approximately $2. If I had dined out for breakfast as one of my favorite stops, Starbucks or the Great American Donut Shop, I would have paid nearly $5 or $6 for this small meal.

By lunchtime, I was extremely hungry. I had to forego eating with my parents after church and cook a can of chicken and dumpling soup with a bowl of spinach salad. Although the meal was delicious, I was unsatisfied.

As the day went on, my hunger intensified. When it was time to prepare dinner, I was ravenous. As the oven was preheating, I picked almost all of the sausage off of my homemade organic pizza in order to save me from starvation.

The delicious pizza filled the empty parts of my stomach and left me satisfied, thankfully! I soon realized that my stomach wasn’t the only part of my body that needed adaption; my brain must cooperate with my diet.

Remembering to turn down food was challenging. Other than accidentally eating a few gummy worms, I was able to resist soda, pizza, freshly baked chocolate-chip-cookies, and even an early birthday cake for myself.

As days went on, I began each morning with the same cereal and milk as usual. Some days I would throw in a glass of deliciously tart orange juice. Thankfully, I found organic coffee at Whole Foods. Without caffeine, I could have imploded.

Lunches were interesting. I had to pack my lunch and take it to campus cafeterias. While my friends enjoyed their pizza, chicken, or salads, I ate ham and turkey sandwiches accompanied by a surprisingly tasty granola bar.

The price comparisons for lunch were very similar to the price for breakfast. Organic meals typically cost a little bit over $4, while traditional meals nearly $3. These prices fall within the range of on-campus dining.Eating off of campus could have cost me anywhere from $6 – $10. Figuring out these prices made me glad that I was cooking and preparing meals for myself. 

After these meals, I was never very satisfied, and by 3:00 p.m. I was normally hungry again. A jar of peanut butter quickly became my best friend. One spoonful of peanut butter could easily satiate my hunger until it was time for dinner.

Dinner normally consisted of a frozen meal or a bowl of soup that I could easily microwave. Most dinners were delicious, including a bowl of hearty lentil and vegetable soup with crackers and a spinach salad, or a plate of chicken nuggets with a large carrot and salad, or simply frozen vegetable lasagna. I accompanied dinner with a bowl of fresh berries or an apple.

Dinner and snacks are where the bulk of my cost came from. After spending approximately $8 on every dinner and $3 – $4 on each snack, I realized that these meals would have each been a few dollars cheaper if I had eaten traditional food or if used a WKU meal plan. Although they meals would be cheaper on campus, I really like to dine out. But with a major stretch in my budget to buy all of my food, I knew that I wouldn’t be getting $10 -$15 dollars for a while.

At the end of the week, I noticed that my hunger waned. And, I felt healthier.

I began to wonder what caused me to feel so much better. I quickly looked back at my notes to what I had eaten. I noticed that I had been eating more fruits and vegetables than I normally do. Was this the cause of my feelings or was it the organics? I’ll probably never know the answer, but I would like to think that it is a mixture of both.

As for the future, I will no longer eat exclusively organic, but I will keep better track of what I eat. Even if there are not proven health benefits, I know that I felt better. Certain organic foods, such as milk and peanut butter, will always have a place in my diet as well as many other products, just as long as my stomach and wallet can both stay full.

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