Is One Better than the Other?

By Alexis Rico

Imagine being in the fresh vegetable section of your local grocery store. On one hand, you have fresh conventionally grown cabbage and on the other hand some cabbage is labeled organic. They both look very similar with their bright green leaves, and they are both firm and crunchy. They both provide vitamins, manganese and fiber. The only noticeable difference seems to be the organic cabbage is more expensive. So what is the real difference between the organic cabbage and the conventional cabbage?

This type of situation is a common occurrence for many people because organic food can be found at most supermarkets and stores when it was once only sold explicitly at health food stores. With this issue at hand, it is important for shoppers and consumers to be informed about both organic and processed foods.

GÇ£Organic produce is grown on land certified organic, no synthetic chemicals used within three years, and audited and approved by a certifying agency that only organic fertilizers and practices were used in its production,GÇ¥ Stephanie Walker, an Extension Vegetable Specialist at New Mexico State University (NMSU) said about what makes organic foods organic.

Produce grown and processed according to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic standards are the only produce that can be labeled organic.
Walker also said non-organic foods have more than likely been grown using synthetic fertilizers, chemical pesticides and herbicides and there is a chance there will be some slight chemical residues in the foods.

Professor Christopher GÇ£ChrisGÇ¥ Cramer, Jose Memorial Chair in Crop Production at NMSU, added the residual pesticide levels of conventionally grown foods differ depending on the type of produce. However, the levels are usually lower for organically grown foods.

Cramer also said that conventionally grown produce also has restrictions on the chemicals that can be used when the produce is grown and how the produce can be used. It is just not the same process as that of organic produce.
In terms of differences in food safety, there is no concrete answer.

GÇ£I don't know of a difference between the two types of produce in terms of food safety issues,GÇ¥ Cramer said. GÇ£Research into the nutrient levels in the produce is inconclusive with regard to differences between conventional versus organic produce.GÇ¥

Walker said the research results of which produce is more nutritious than the other has been mixed. However, there are a lot of economic, environmental and nutritional benefits that Famers' Markets give to communities.

GÇ£Farmer's markets help the small growers make money on their excess produce, and buying local keeps the dollars in the community,GÇ¥ market organizers say about the local Farmer's Market located in Silver City, New Mexico.

Farmers' Markets are locations in which local farmers can sell fruit, vegetables and sometimes meat, cheese and/or bakery products directly to their consumers. Most of the produce found at these markets is fresh and organic.
GÇ£The fresher the produce the more nutritious because some nutrients break down over time,GÇ¥ Walker said. GÇ£Also, local produce does not require shipping over long distances that contributes to additional use of fossil fuels.GÇ¥

Ivette Guzman, an assistant teacher in the NMSU Horticulture faculty, said all the organic farms in New Mexico have been certified by the New Mexico Department of Agriculture according to guidelines set by the United States Department of Agriculture. Any organic produce found at the local supermarkets and Farmers' Markets are certified and locally grown.

There are slight differences between processed foods and organic foods, but they are differences nonetheless. It is just up to the consumer whether they prefer the organic produce or the processed produce. It may also just depend on the type of produce. For example, foods that need to be peeled, such as an avocado or an orange, tend to have a lower number of residues than the foods that need to be prepared in order for it to be consumed.
As for the cabbages, it would not matter which one was chosen because cabbages are low in pesticides due to its natural resilience to bugs. Also, the outer leaves of the produce shield it from toxic sprays. If it is not an organic cabbage, the outer leaves should just be thrown away.