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Why (and how) to choose organic

Sally Hill | 31.08.10

You're in the market and two baskets of strawberries are on the shelf. One is organic, the other is not. What makes you choose one over the other?

Today, organic food is more present in the public consciousness than ever before. Most people get the general idea that food free from chemicals and pesticides is a good thing - for humans and the environment - but a lot of people still struggle with going organic.

Why? Aside from the issues of cost and availability, not to mention the rush of life that impacts our diet (ergo the success of fast-food), choosing organic means navigating an overload of facts, health advice and environmental and ethical concerns. That can be a bit daunting.

We need to make it easy for people to see the benefits. I'm always on the lookout for simple messages that I can share, which is why I like this TIME article ‘Who needs organic food?’. The article compares common foods and explores both sides of the debate, factoring in cost and taste. All things considered, the verdict comes down well on the side of organic when it comes to milk and eggs, for example. That's helpful.

In the realm of ethical and social concerns, I like the Soil Association's 'Five good reasons to choose organic':

1. Your well-being
Hydrogenated fats and controversial additives including aspartame, tartrazine, MSG are banned under organic standards. (Read more here about why these things aren't good for you).

2. The environment
Organic farming releases less greenhouse gases than non-organic farming - choosing organic, local and seasonal food can significantly reduce your carbon footprint

3. Animal welfare
Organic standards insist that animals are given plenty of space and fresh air to thrive and grow - guaranteeing a truly free-range life

4. Protecting wildlife
Organic farms are havens for wildlife and provide homes for bees, birds and butterflies. In fact, the UK Government’s own advisors found that plant, insect and bird life is up to 50% greater on organic farms.

5. GM-free
Genetically modified crops and ingredients are banned under organic standards. You may be surprised to know that over a million tonnes of GM crops are imported each year to feed non-organic livestock which produce pork, bacon, milk, cheese and other dairy products.

To make shopping easier, I keep a cheat sheet on me so I know which foods are the most important to buy organic. You can download for free and print one of my favourites: ‘The Dirty Dozen Cheat Sheet’.

If you’d like to really dive in and explore organic food, the Bristol Organic Food Festival (@organicfoodfest for you Twitter fans) is being held just a couple of weekends from now. Find out where food comes from, and meet and talk to organic producers. Bring the kids, there's loads for them to do.

I love this  event for all the tasting and shopping - an amazing selection of things that are healthy for the planet and for me. At the end of the day, that's what it's all about.

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