Organic and Whole Food Essay -- Health, Nutrition

From the now popular recyclable cloth grocery bags, to the organic garden at the White House, food, and the food industry is changing. The popularity of organic and whole foods is on the rise. Processed foods are increasingly advertising that they are additive and preservative free, and all sorts of products now offer a â€Å"gluten-free† variety. The popularity of what is now being called the sustainable food movement, leads many to wonder why are some people willing to pay more, sometimes double, for organic produce, meat, eggs, and milk. Will this prove to be just another trendy American fad, or are there real health benefits from eating organic and whole foods? While the organic market only represents approximately 3% of the total food market, some believe that it’s a sector that we should be supporting more (Kluger 31). The ideal in America today, seems to be to go organic. All of the day-time talk shows, such as The Doctors, and Doctor OZ, are preaching the same message, shop on the perimeter of the store, avoid the processed food, and eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Part of this movement seems to be to support farmers markets, rather than the larger corporate chains. A recent study conducted by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that there is little nutritional difference between organic produce and the produce produced by conventional means (Kluger 31). While many consumers draw a sharp line between the two, at least from a nutritional standpoint, science does not draw the same distinction. However, supporters of the sustainable food movement state that the nutritional content is not their primary concern. The issue of feeding the world’s poor no longer finds itself center-stage in American culture. Toda... ... hormone is also believed to play a role in early onset puberty. Currently, it is against the law for dairy farmers to label their products as â€Å"rBGH-free†, because of the potential adverse impact on milk sales. This sustainable food movement, like many interesting topics, is complicated. Like most issues worth debating, it has many intelligent people, with many compelling arguments on both sides of the fence. Ultimately, it will most likely be the consumers, voting with their credit cards, who will dictate the directions of the food industry. Americans are concerned with animal rights, the environment, and their health. They are also concerned with world hunger, convenience, availability, and perhaps above all, cost. An extreme in any direction would likely prove to be detrimental. Hopefully the market, and consumers, will be able to find a â€Å"healthy† balance. Organic and Whole Food Essay -- Health, Nutrition From the now popular recyclable cloth grocery bags, to the organic garden at the White House, food, and the food industry is changing. The popularity of organic and whole foods is on the rise. Processed foods are increasingly advertising that they are additive and preservative free, and all sorts of products now offer a â€Å"gluten-free† variety. The popularity of what is now being called the sustainable food movement, leads many to wonder why are some people willing to pay more, sometimes double, for organic produce, meat, eggs, and milk. Will this prove to be just another trendy American fad, or are there real health benefits from eating organic and whole foods? While the organic market only represents approximately 3% of the total food market, some believe that it’s a sector that we should be supporting more (Kluger 31). The ideal in America today, seems to be to go organic. All of the day-time talk shows, such as The Doctors, and Doctor OZ, are preaching the same message, shop on the perimeter of the store, avoid the processed food, and eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Part of this movement seems to be to support farmers markets, rather than the larger corporate chains. A recent study conducted by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that there is little nutritional difference between organic produce and the produce produced by conventional means (Kluger 31). While many consumers draw a sharp line between the two, at least from a nutritional standpoint, science does not draw the same distinction. However, supporters of the sustainable food movement state that the nutritional content is not their primary concern. The issue of feeding the world’s poor no longer finds itself center-stage in American culture. Toda... ... hormone is also believed to play a role in early onset puberty. Currently, it is against the law for dairy farmers to label their products as â€Å"rBGH-free†, because of the potential adverse impact on milk sales. This sustainable food movement, like many interesting topics, is complicated. Like most issues worth debating, it has many intelligent people, with many compelling arguments on both sides of the fence. Ultimately, it will most likely be the consumers, voting with their credit cards, who will dictate the directions of the food industry. Americans are concerned with animal rights, the environment, and their health. They are also concerned with world hunger, convenience, availability, and perhaps above all, cost. An extreme in any direction would likely prove to be detrimental. Hopefully the market, and consumers, will be able to find a â€Å"healthy† balance.