is healthier for them. Generally, it isn't.

But then, why listen to scientific studies when Whole Foods has a good marketing schtick?

What's your point, here?

It's the belief that eating organic will lessen the chances of getting cancer.

Science shows this is not true.

Another cherished (by some organic food eaters,) belief has gone "pif."

Not sure what the "woo" is that you're referring to...

Our food is perfectly healthy, and poses no chance whatsoever of harming you! The evil organic food companies just want you to waste your money on overpriced junk! Our usage of artifical food colorings, aspartame, sodium benzoate, and odium nitrite is a cost saving measure for the benefit of our consumers - A cost saving measure that does not harm, in any shape or form, the health and wellbeing of our consumers.

But for many here, it's just not a meal unless enough artificial chemicals are larding up the plate.

.

Mmmm, bread made with yoga mats!
http://www.ewg.org/research/nearly-500-ways-make-yoga-mat-sandwich

a post about pesticides and children.

day after day, as they are being sprayed, and directly inhaling clouds of them in the air--while pregnant--is probably definitely not good. But that really doesn't have much to do with eating an apple that you've carefully washed.

Being exposed to lots of things during pregnancy can be dangerous--that are relatively harmless in other circumstances. I eat imported cheeses that are unpasteurized, for instance, though not all that often. My pregnant daughter-in-law has avoided them like the plague for the last nine months, and won't take a sip of wine (even though she likes it, and plans to have a glass very soon!).

I buy organic vegetables, but also sometimes the nonorganic. It kind of depends what looks better in the store at the moment, and sometimes it's price. I wash all vegetables thoroughly--leafy greens especially, in three soaks of cold water. I feel pretty safe. My father never ate an organic vegetable in his life, and he's made it to 97, without any cancer or anything.

On the other hand, my son got very very ill once, when he was around three. He suddenly had a rash over his entire body, his joints became so painful he couldn't walk, and he didn't urinate for 24 hours: we rushed him to the emergency room. They diagnosed some sort of virus to which his body was reacting. I couldn't help thinking it was because he'd been playing outside all day on a windy day when all the neighbors had those Chemlawn signs up (I never put an herbicide on my grass--ever). I still think I'm right.

..."eating an apple that you've carefully washed".

I will note, first the qualification "an apple that you've carefully washed". How many people here really "carefully wash" their apples before they eat them? And isn't that in itself a little worrisome, that one must add that qualification? Does that not imply that not washing the apple means one is risking some exposure to pesticides? Does the study address whether people wash their apples before eating them, and does it address whether this washing can be done with water only, or must it be done with soap and water, or with special produce-washing solutions? I rinse my produce but I do not scrub it...

It is true that the study cited shows no ill effects from non-organic fruits and veggies vis-á-vis breast cancer rates. However, the OP implies that the only, or main reason people go for organic foods is to avoid cancer, and then attempts to make it into a "gotcha". But many people who try to eat organic, are also aware of other implications of organic vs. non-organic farming methods, including: chemicals that leach into our soil and water tables, agribusiness and mono-culture farming, non-sustainable practices, and yes, the exposure of those who work on the farms to pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers.

It's good to have studies like this. We certainly need to have the data. But apart from the issues addressed in the study, I find that organics often taste better, maybe because they are handled with more care on smaller farms, maybe because they are old fashioned varietals (like with tomatoes, where heirloom varieties can be a revelation).

I just don't see why the "woo" epithet had to be thrown out there, like a little cherry-bomb. Can't we give one another a little credit, rather than everything being announced with a sneer at some other perceived faction on DU?

Whether they're organic or non-organic (you don't particularly want to be ingesting traces of animal manure, either). I guess it was just something I grew up with from an early age: you washed your produce before preparing or eating. I wash lemons before I zest them, whether they're organic or conventional. My mother studied bacteriology, so we had hard and fast rules regarding all the foods we ate. Let me just say this: you SHOULD wash an apple before you eat it, even an organic apple: you don't know who or what touched that apple in the transport process or in a store.

I completely agree with you--and don't think I was throwing out the baby with the bath water in any way by pointing out there was a difference between constant airborne exposure to pesticides and the exposure you get in your produce.

I support organic farming strongly for a variety of reasons, most having little to do with health. For years we belonged to a fabulous CSA (see http://www.philadelphiacommunityfarm.org/ ). After moving from that region we bought produce from a farm just a few blocks from our home, during growing season, and, having moved yet again, we buy organic produce exclusively from the farmer's market, May through October. And yes, that includes many varieties of heirlooms. But we've always lived in cold-weather regions, so buying local is not possible for nearly half the year. I mostly limit myself to seasonal produce only, and as local as we can get. The only asparagus in the stores right now is from Mexico, and I don't buy it. I'll wait until the local stuff comes in; but I'll probably have to wait yet another month. Sometimes I buy the organic, sometimes it looks wilted or old so I buy the non-organic.

I never thought that eating organic foods would prevent cancer, but you'd be surprised how many people do think that. So I don't think the OP is out of order. I can believe both things: that people overrate the benefits of organic foods (or overplay the dangers of non-organic) and that buying and eating organic produce is good for many reasons, often having nothing to do with personal health.

(Fruit and vegetables) bc I assume germy hands have touched them in the supermarket. Plus the poop factor.

I thought everybody washed fruits and vegetables (where you eat the whole thing... not a banana or a melon, necessarily) before they ate them.

...and the information about washing foods. Like I say I do rinse my produce, but I don't scrub it. Seems to work for me, although maybe I need to reconsider and work on changing some very ingrained habits...

Of course, living in Las Vegas, there is very little locally grown here due to the climate and the soil. I'm growing some veggies in containers this year, we'll see how it turns out. We do have a farmer's market nearby and I love it, but the produce is from California for the most part.

I don't doubt there are people who believe eating organic produce can help prevent cancer. My only objection to the OP was the "woo" epithet, and the use of it to paint all those who prefer organic foods and are willing to pay more for them, as "woo". No objection at all to the study and what it shows. Although one study may not tell the whole story -- living systems are complex and there are many factors, and scientific studies are often narrowly focused. Then the press picks up the study and makes some larger, more general conclusions and people think they know all about the issue. I was just listening to a program on NPR that went into this in relation to the "low fat" craze, and how it turns out that people were replacing the fats in their diets with carbs in one form or another, and not seeing any benefit at all.

Local eating, better treatment of soil, etc.

Science says that if you eat or breathe in just a little bit of man made nuclear radiation, no matter what else you eat, your chance of getting cancer increases greatly.

I had no idea humans could make things radioactive.

His posts are often a perfect example of the old maxim "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing".

Sid

I imagine it's much more difficult to learn about radiation than it is to refrain from discourteous behavior for its own sake at the expense of others...

Maybe not, though... depending on how strongly one rationalizes it

There are some natural sources of radiation. Sunshine is the biggee.

Man has transformed natural uranium into other, more radioactive elements, via nuclear.

It's more of a lifestyle choice.

how long have the women been eating organic food
what cancers are supposed to have a 9 year latency period
this is a bogus study, or rather - just more woo.

i kid, i kid..

Shouldn't this be posted in that skeptic forum anyway?

I don't follow the literature on nutrition, but it is highly likely (though not guaranteed) that there are other studies that reach a different conclusions.

First of all non organic doesn't taste as well.

Yes, genetics and habits will predominate but good quality vegetables will give you an edge.

So says the MAJORITY of studies out there concerning nutrition.

Organic has superior nutrition

Eating less food, eating the right foods and staying away from non-essential 'foods' is how you extend your lifespan and live healthier.

We spend too much time feeding the addiction of our taste buds. Once you stop eating to satisfy the cravings of your taste buds, you find a new world.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]All things in moderation, including moderation.[/center][/font][hr]

Ive never heard anything to the effect that organic food reduces cancer risk. If anything, its still being debated.

In the meantime, Ill take my chances with whole, unprocessed, organic food. You can have my portion of the other crap.

I can't afford all organic food. But I can afford some, and I purchase that because it lightens the chemical load in our environment. I love veggies and fruit and eat them out of a desire to do so. I won't do without something because I can't afford organic though.

Discussing veggies is making me really impatient for the huge chef salad I made myself for lunch. LOVE IT!

It's what's called a natural history study, comparing two groups in a 2:1 ratio, for 16 different kinds of cancer. I would need to see the actually protocol for the study, but an uncontrolled study such as this one has a lot of variables, a lot of wiggle room. Take the results with a grain of salt.

.... this article may have a bit of impact.

If however, you have a bigger picture in mind, such as the use of pesticides in farm land, the workers exposure, the bee colonies dying, the cumulative effects of pesticides and hormones on the soil and the ground water contamination, you may see feel pretty good about going organic. I'm finding that organics at Costco do not cost twice as much and in some cases the extra $1 for 3 lbs of apples or bananas is negligible. In addition there are other health issues that organic seems to help with. My child has serious stomach and gastric issues and will vomit for 4-5 times a day for 3 weeks out of every month if we are not careful to be gentle with everything she tries to digest. She does better with organics than not. Someone here coined the term "shit storm of chemicals". We tried ot avoid all of that so she can live fairly normal life...it's our personal experience and frankly avoiding cancer was never part of the equation.