Steffan: I’m sorry you feel that this is a “spun” article. In part, you are sort-of right – it is not “balanced,” as I did not go into detail about the many benefits of organic famring that I mentioned, like the movement from monocultures. But the goal wasn’t to give a complete report on all aspects of agricultural methods: it was to be complete about a select few myths that are commonly believed about organic produce. My comments on pesticides, nutrition, and sustainability are based on extensive research, and that research is cited throughout so that you can see for yourself where the information came from.

As for the EU report, the reason I did not include it is that it’s not available yet. It has been talked about, but the actual paper has yet to be published. I only include findings that I can read for myself and source for others to read. Without being able to read the report, it’s hard to judge exactly what the findings entail – for example, what exact methods were used to get their results? How do these compare to similar studies done by others who had different results? Before information can be trusted, questions like these have to be answered. It should also be noted that the EU report is not a “larger” or “more complete” review of the nutrition science of organics: it’s an experiment into the differences between foods produced by different farming methods in Northern Europe. It’s not a literature review like the FSA, nor a comparison of dietary benefits (no attempt was made to determine if eating their organically grown food made people healthier, for example). While I agree it would be nice to include it, again, I’d have to read exactly what they did to feel comfortable doing so.

Steffan: I’m sorry you feel that this is a “spun” article. In part, you are sort-of right – it is not “balanced,” as I did not go into detail about the many benefits of organic famring that I mentioned, like the movement from monocultures. But the goal wasn’t to give a complete report on all aspects of agricultural methods: it was to be complete about a select few myths that are commonly believed about organic produce. My comments on pesticides, nutrition, and sustainability are based on extensive research, and that research is cited throughout so that you can see for yourself where the information came from.

As for the EU report, the reason I did not include it is that it’s not available yet. It has been talked about, but the actual paper has yet to be published. I only include findings that I can read for myself and source for others to read. Without being able to read the report, it’s hard to judge exactly what the findings entail – for example, what exact methods were used to get their results? How do these compare to similar studies done by others who had different results? Before information can be trusted, questions like these have to be answered. It should also be noted that the EU report is not a “larger” or “more complete” review of the nutrition science of organics: it’s an experiment into the differences between foods produced by different farming methods in Northern Europe. It’s not a literature review like the FSA, nor a comparison of dietary benefits (no attempt was made to determine if eating their organically grown food made people healthier, for example). While I agree it would be nice to include it, again, I’d have to read exactly what they did to feel comfortable doing so.

I am a bit on the fence with organic products precisely for the reasons outlined in your article. What I have come to realize is that you must pick your battles based upon research and guidelines. It is such a daunting task to navigate the grocery store isles and read every single ingredient. What’s worse is the mysterious nature of the produce section.

Eating strictly organic is not practical and in some cases, impossible. Typically I avoid conventional fruits and vegetables in large grocery stores. I also eliminate any junk food or highly processed packaged nonsense. This has an upside and downside. The upside is that my quality of intake is higher and I can also manage weight and limit spending money on empty calorie foods. The downside is frustration and a moderately decreased intake of vegetables. Overall I consume enough vegetables and other good sources of essential nutrients. The main thing is, know which vegetables to buy and if you have the option, go local and go organic. Pick your battles, or move to California.

I am a bit on the fence with organic products precisely for the reasons outlined in your article. What I have come to realize is that you must pick your battles based upon research and guidelines. It is such a daunting task to navigate the grocery store isles and read every single ingredient. What’s worse is the mysterious nature of the produce section.

Eating strictly organic is not practical and in some cases, impossible. Typically I avoid conventional fruits and vegetables in large grocery stores. I also eliminate any junk food or highly processed packaged nonsense. This has an upside and downside. The upside is that my quality of intake is higher and I can also manage weight and limit spending money on empty calorie foods. The downside is frustration and a moderately decreased intake of vegetables. Overall I consume enough vegetables and other good sources of essential nutrients. The main thing is, know which vegetables to buy and if you have the option, go local and go organic. Pick your battles, or move to California.