Organic food is often seen as healthier, safer, and better than food that isn’t considered organic. While there certainly are some pros to eating organic food, there are some disadvantages, as well.
The disadvantages of organic food include the cost and lack of accessibility. A lot of organic food doesn’t have the same shelf life that other food does. Organic doesn’t always mean fully organic, which is confusing for some shoppers.
There is a greater risk of exposure to bad bacteria involved with organic food. You also may notice an ebb and flow in organic farm production.
Here are the 7 most common disadvantages of organic food which include:
1 – High Price Tags
2 – Lack of Accessibility
3 – Short Shelf Life
4 – Confusing Labeling
5 – Exposure to Harmful Bacteria
6 – Instability of Organic Market
7 – Misconception
You may have wondered if it’s worth the effort to find organic food for you and your family. In this article, we’re looking at 7 disadvantages to buying organic food. Read on to find out if organic foods are worth it to you.
What Is Organic Food?
The term organic is sometimes thought of to mean healthier. In some form this is true, however, maybe not in the way you thought.
Organic food is that which meets the standards set by the USDA to be called organic. This is food that is produced without any pesticides, harmful chemicals, artificial fertilizers, or genetically modified ingredients.
Organic produce must be grown in conditions that fall under the certification requirements for making it organic. Organic meat must come from animals that were fed organic diets.
In the next section, you’ll see there are also different levels of organic food.
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Is Organic Really Organic?
When food is labeled organic, it’s not necessarily all the same. You need to know what is what before you choose your organic foods.
Foods that are labeled 100% organic are actually 95% or above. These are foods that are one ingredient, like fruits, vegetables, and meat. There are some rare exceptions of foods that have multiple ingredients which are all organic. The only two that may not be are water or salt.
Those that are considered 100% organic are clearly labeled with a USDA certified organic stamp.
You’ll also see labels that just indicate food is organic. That means that at least 95% of the ingredients are organic, excluding water or salt again.
Any additional ingredients not deemed organic must be on a list of approved additions created by the USDA.
Some foods indicate they are “made with organic” ingredients. This means that at least 70% of the ingredients are organic.
The USDA allows the manufacturer to say this on the packaging but only if they also clearly identify which of the ingredients are organic.
Products that have some organic ingredients but less than 70% cannot be called organic. The USDA does not allow companies to call these items organic.
Manufacturers can label their products with what ingredients are organic, though.
7 Disadvantages of Organic Food
Now, let’s talk about the disadvantages of organic food. While there are a lot of benefits to organic foods, there are also downsides. It’s important to know both sides of the story before you’re shopping for all organic foods.
1 – High Price Tags
One huge disadvantage of organic food is the price tag. Organic foods almost always cost more than foods without organic ingredients or that aren’t grown organically.
Organically grown produce or foods made with organic ingredients are not as plentiful and are more susceptible to exposures that cause them to go bad or die out.
They often require more attention or laborious farming practices to ensure the crops survive. All of these things are considered when the price is determined.
2 – Lack of Accessibility
This disadvantage is tied to the price above. That’s because not everyone has the means to afford the high prices charged for organic foods. It makes them less accessible to some people.
Beyond the cost, though, is the fact there are simply less organic farms. Many more growers and farmers use pesticides or supplements in their practices to ensure more products to sell.
Not only are there fewer organic farmers, it’s also tougher for these producers to maintain their crops. Pesticides, herbicides, and supplemental nutrition were all developed out of a need to fight bacteria, rodents, insects, and viruses that kill plants and animals.
Without them, there are far more lost crops than there are otherwise.
3 – Short Shelf Life
One thing organic foods don’t have going for them is their shelf life. Organic foods tend to expire or rot before other foods.
This is because there aren’t any preservatives used with organic foods. Preservatives make it where food items last longer.
Generally, there isn’t much of a difference between organic produce and the non-organic fruits and vegetables.
These foods will go bad about the same time, for the most part.
4 – Confusing Labeling
We mentioned above the difference in the various labeling of organic foods. Many consumers find it confusing trying to decipher what is actually organic and what’s not.
How organic is it? What’s the difference between something that is 100% organic and something’s that just organic?
We explained these differences in the section earlier. The biggest thing to remember is you need to educate yourself on the labeling before making the appropriate organic selections for yourself and your family.
You need to know that just because you see the word organic, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a fully organic product.
5 – Exposure to Harmful Bacteria
Non-organic foods come with their own risks. You can be exposed to many types of harmful bacteria that cause illness and, in extreme cases, death. You can also be exposed to viruses passed to food through rodents and insects.
Pesticides and preservatives can cause a lot of harm themselves, but the absence of them doesn’t guarantee your safety and health.
You still need to wash and rinse organic produce and foods, and always cook them properly to ensure the safety of your family.
6 – Instability of Organic Market
Generally, you can count on the grocery scene to be stocked as expected. This means that there are growing seasons which the grocery stock coincides with.
Organic grocery stock isn’t as stable. The organic market ebbs and flows at its own pace and rhythm. Sometimes farmers’ entire crop is destroyed by something that could have been controlled through the use of pesticides and other products.
Organic farmers aren’t allowed to use those products because of the organic labeling rules.
While most consumers want to be able to rely on the market to produce what they need when they expect, the organic market is more volatile because of the greater vulnerability of the products.
7 – Misconception
People often think that organic means something other than what it actually does. They may equate the word organic with natural or healthy.
Let’s break this down in the best way we know how to explain it. While many foods may be natural or healthy that are organic, they don’t mean the same things.
Some organic foods aren’t healthy, or natural. Some are, just as some healthy and natural foods are organic.
There is a dangerous misconception about all these terms.
Does Organic Food Taste Better?
Organic food often doesn’t taste any different than non-organic food. That being said, there are times when organic food may taste better than the alternative.
It depends on how you wash it, how you prepare it, and how you cook it.
What Percent of People Buy Organic Food?
The number of people buying organic foods has risen over the past decade. While most people don’t live on a fully organic diet, most households do buy some organic foods.
About 75% of people in the United States eat organic foods.
How Long Does Organic Food Last?
You can expect that organic food won’t last as long as other foods. This is because of the lack of preservatives used with organic food and ingredients.
You’ll find the shelf life is shorter than foods that are non-organic.
How Do You Keep Organic Food Fresh Longer?
We have two tips to help with keeping organic produce fresh for longer. First, start by rinsing the fruits and vegetables with a solution of water and vinegar.
This washes away bacteria and other debris. Next, store them in a cool, dark place inside an airtight container once they’re fully dried.
Is There Food that Cannot Expire?
The only true food that doesn’t expire is all-natural. Honey does not ever expire.
You’ll also find many lists stating sugars of different kinds do not expire. Most foods do have expiration dates, though.
Is Organic Food Really Worth It? >> Check out the video below:
Final Thoughts
Organic foods are better for you than other foods when you look at what is used to grow them or make them.
There are harmful chemicals used on farm crops all over the world that aren’t healthy for humans or animals to ingest.
You don’t need to be afraid to buy organic food. However, be mindful of what we talked about in this article. Organic food is good for you if you know what you’re looking for.
References
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/organic-food/
https://www.businessinsider.com/foods-that-never-expire-2017-11