are organic foods Bull? Penn & Teller's show

[MommyHawk]

Anyone watch this show on Showtime?

They did a show on organic foods, saying organic farmers spray old, more harmful chemicals on the foods and that organic food doesn't have any additional nutritional value. And there's no taste difference

Of course, they had scientists and authors for the side that they wanted to prove and crazy quacks for the organic foods side, and of course, they Pen & Teller are just comedians entertaining.

I know not to believe anything on TV, but I just wanted to see if anyone else saw this and what they thought about what was said. Thanks!

[lakeruby]

I didn't see this but it sounds crazy!
I work at an organic farm and of course we don't use any type of chemical at all-- we make compost for fertilizer and use crop rotation, seasonal and companion planting and beneficial insects instead of poisons. Organics is really all about saving the soil anyway-- I think the added benefit of keeping chemicals out of bodies and the added nutrients are just icing on the cake! My response to someone telling us that there aren't more nutrients in organic foods would be that....OF COURSE there are more nutrients! If you're growing food in soil that is replenished with compost and organic amendements then of course the plants are going to take those micronutrients up. If you're growing in sterile soil that has been poisoned and only given the "necessary" nutrients (nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous) for plant growth, then it's not possible for those foods to contain the micronutrients that aren't in the soil.....
oops, where did that rant come from:

[Sayward]

Here is my exact comment from another forum on the same subject:

"Oh well what a surprise! Privileged men who will never experience a financial health crisis are insisting that we stick to convention. Shock!"

[SubliminalDarkness]

I actually do agree with them on some of the points that they argued. But I think they argued points that are specifically arguable.

I do not think organic foods will always taste better than conventionally grown foods.
I do not think that organic foods will always have more nutrition than conventionally grown foods. They may, in some cases, but I do not think it's always true, or even something that could be easily argued.

I DO however, think it is environmentally sound to grow organic foods. I DO think it is healthier not to add all the chemicals to our bodies by consuming conventional foods. I DO think organic food is a positive thing.

[JamieCatheryn]

Well, that's why I hardly buy grocery store "organic" stuff, no telling if they did it in a beneficial and sustainable way. Only sticking to the letter of the regulations, organic is at best less toxic than conventional. Growing it right, it's 100x better: tasty, healthful, fresh, good for the soil it's grown in. I want to meet my farmer and look him in the eye when he tells me how my food was really grown, and if I like what I eat come back to them again and again.

[KatWrangler]

I don't have showtime. Is this available online for free anywhere?

[blessedmama59]

Originally Posted by lakeruby

I didn't see this but it sounds crazy!
I work at an organic farm and of course we don't use any type of chemical at all-- we make compost for fertilizer and use crop rotation, seasonal and companion planting and beneficial insects instead of poisons. Organics is really all about saving the soil anyway-- I think the added benefit of keeping chemicals out of bodies and the added nutrients are just icing on the cake! My response to someone telling us that there aren't more nutrients in organic foods would be that....OF COURSE there are more nutrients! If you're growing food in soil that is replenished with compost and organic amendements then of course the plants are going to take those micronutrients up. If you're growing in sterile soil that has been poisoned and only given the "necessary" nutrients (nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous) for plant growth, then it's not possible for those foods to contain the micronutrients that aren't in the soil.....
oops, where did that rant come from:

Agreed. It is absurd to believe that truly organically grown and managed food is BS or of equal or lesser value of conventional foods. Yes I am sure there are "organic" or "natural" brands sold that are questionable, but it all comes down to the consumer. You have to still read your labels. Heck, I can go to any of the local health food stores and find almost as much processed crap as a grocery store. Yes, that box of cereal may be labeled organic, but when you factor in all of the sugar that is in it, is it still healthy? I think brands like that could be what give "organics" a bad name. They are a better choice of course. I haven't seen the video, so I am a bit curious. I liked the vid on circumcision for bringing light to the ignorance of such a procedure, but they do take highly sensitive and personal subjects and make a mockery of them for entertainment's sake. IMO, it's another example of the denial in this country in regards to our health, diet, and how nutrition is the basis for vitality. It's a sad, sad thing that people believe that dis-ease is spontaneous and not of our personal responsibility. Anyway, this is turning into a rant. I think anyone who believes that following a "modern" diet is by any means okay, they need to take a serious look around at the state of our health. They also need to consider our children's future, as they will be the ones plagued with more disease and a bankrupt medical system.

[SollysMom]

We watched this and the things that stuck out the most to me were...

They mostly focused on produce. Which is a big deal, but animal products are a much bigger deal to my husband and me (artificial hormones and antibiotics specifically). The only real mention I recall about animal products was that the artificial hormones in milk aren't causing girls to go through puberty younger, obesity is. They justify this by saying girls in Europe are also going through puberty at a younger age and hormones are not allowed in milk over there at all.

[Alyantavid]

Originally Posted by JamieCatheryn

Well, that's why I hardly buy grocery store "organic" stuff, no telling if they did it in a beneficial and sustainable way. Only sticking to the letter of the regulations, organic is at best less toxic than conventional. Growing it right, it's 100x better: tasty, healthful, fresh, good for the soil it's grown in. I want to meet my farmer and look him in the eye when he tells me how my food was really grown, and if I like what I eat come back to them again and again.

That. Organic in general isn't always better. There are lots of ways around regulation. Knowing where your food came from is so much better than just generically buying anything you see labeled organic.

[lil_earthmomma]

Originally Posted by JamieCatheryn

Well, that's why I hardly buy grocery store "organic" stuff, no telling if they did it in a beneficial and sustainable way. Only sticking to the letter of the regulations, organic is at best less toxic than conventional. Growing it right, it's 100x better: tasty, healthful, fresh, good for the soil it's grown in. I want to meet my farmer and look him in the eye when he tells me how my food was really grown, and if I like what I eat come back to them again and again.

Exactly! There are very few regulations for organic farming and they aren't policed. It's up to the consumer to do the backround work and find out how their food is grown/raised.

I can personally attest to the fact that organic strawberries blow conventional ones out of the water. You could freakin' SMELL the suckers from another room, they were so fragrent. Broccoli... well... not so much!

[Otto]

Originally Posted by SubliminalDarkness

I DO however, think it is environmentally sound to grow organic foods.

And, often, socially sound. I don't buy organic bananas for my health, I buy them because it's one less insult to those who harvest them.

[Otto]

Originally Posted by KatWrangler

I don't have showtime. Is this available online for free anywhere?

Not legitimately, it appears (season 7, episode 2, on astrology, is the only one Showtime seems to be streaming in full).

[ETA.--Two bucks from Amazon, $3 from iTunes.]

[MommyHawk]

Originally Posted by Otto

And, often, socially sound. I don't buy organic bananas for my health, I buy them because it's one less insult to those who harvest them.

this is how I feel too!

I totally thought they'd do a bang up job FOR the side I stand on - pro organics - since they like to go against the tide in their own unique way. So much for hoping. If they had, it would have still been hilarious and helped raise awareness.

[NSmomtobe]

My DH was on-board with organic foods until we watched that episode. Now he says we can't justify the cost for no benefit.

[Llyra]

http://www.organicconsumers.org/organic/ehpstudy.pdf
http://www.organicconsumers.org/organic/wic-faq.pdf

The second one states that in kids 2 to 4 years old, pesticides levels in the blood are six times higher in those eating a conventional diet, as compared to those put on an organically raised diet. It further states that those pesticides come primarily from the foods children eat, are linked to a number of developmental and learning problems, and are not found on or in organically raised foods. It's a government sponsored summary of the research, with reliable references. I'll take that over Penn and Teller any day.