THE IMPORTANCE OF ORGANICS

This is an essay written back in my Uni days. It discusses the importance of various factors from farm to fork, that can help us maximise nutrition and minimise exposure to harmful substances. Worth a read for anyone interested in researched and scientifically supported information on the benefits of organics!

6/4/2017

This essay will explore the impact that external factors such as farming and preparation can have on the quality and safety of food in Australia. The intention behind this exploration, is to provide information that will help consumers choose the healthiest and safest version of various foods that are available to them at any given time. Areas of impact that will be discussed range from farming and manufacturing to cooking and storage, with practical application of the knowledge being a key factor behind this essay. 

 
Exposure to potential toxins, is a significant factor to consider when choosing and preparing foods for their safety and optimal nutritional benefit. Toxins can enter the food by a variety of means, including synthetic chemicals used in the farming of produce, and additives that are added to foods during manufacturing and packaging.  
Pesticides are one such potentially harmful toxin, used in conventional agriculture to help yield higher crops. The consumption of pesticides being linked to Parkinson's disease (Bromfield & Bronstein, 2014), neuropsychiatric disorders (Katja & Wojtowicz, 2013) and some some cancers (Mostafalau & Abdollahi, 2013), means there is significant reason to avoid ones exposure to them. One of the easiest ways to do so it to purchase fresh produce that is certified organic. This means it has not been subject to artificial pesticides and fertilizers during the farming and handling process. Organically grown crops use biological farming methods including crop rotation, with a focus on supporting the fertility and health of the soil and surrounding ecology. Organically grown cops have also been shows to be higher in polphenolics (Barariski et al., 2014), and as such can maximise the levels of nutrients available in ones food choices. Where it’s not possible or feasible to purchase organic foods, exposure to pesticides can still be drastically reduced through certain methods such as washing and scrubbing vegetables, peeling citrus, discarding the outer leaves of leafy vegetables, and consuming a wide variety so exposure to a single type of chemical is reduced. 
 

Processing, cooking times and methods can also be of either advantageous or detrimental effect which considering the quality and safety of food. While it’s important to scrub and wash conventionally grown produce to remove potentially harmful toxins, one also then runs the risk of removing valuable nutrients which reside in the outer layers of the food.  Water soluble vitamins such as B and C, are more concentrated in peel and outer layers of fruit and vegetables. An example of this is tomatoes, which loose 100% of their Folic Acid content and 90% Vitamin C when peeled (Alvi et al., 2003).  

Raw uncooked foods have been shown to be higher in a range of nutrients (Alvi et al, 20013), but these are not always in a format that can be utilized by the body. Some foods need to undergo a certain level of cooking, or pre-digestion in order to reduce naturally occurring and potentially harmful toxins such as phytates. The following recommendations can help reduce some potentially harmful effects of these and other natural occurring toxins. 
-    Soak grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. These contain varying degrees of phytates, which can inhibit mineral absorption. Phytate levels can be decreased by soaking, and even more so by germinating and then fermentation which can reduce it by up to 98% (Connelly, 2011).  
-    Avoid charcoaling meats, as the process releases PAH compounds which can increase the risk of cancer (National Cancer Institute, n.d).  
-    Store raw foods in the refrigerator and within safe temperature zones, and maintain adequate hygiene practices when cooking and preparing them, to reduce exposure to food borne toxins 
-    Avoid the use of aluminium foil in cooking, as it can leach potentially harmful toxins into the food. The traceable levels of Aluminium in Red Meat increase by 89% - 378% when cooked in Aluminium Foil (Turnhan, 2006). 
-    Reduce the consumption of canned foods, which cause contain traceable levels of tin and iron in them. While symptoms have not been shown to be long term, foods high in tin can lead to stomach upsets and headaches (CSIRO, 2014). This effect can be minimised by decanting foods into glass or durable plastic containers once a can is opened, to minimise oxidation. 
 
Higher levels of processing, longer cooking times, and artificial additives also effect the nutrient value and safety of food considerably. The following are some easily applicable approaches to help optimise the health benefits of food choices. 
-    Consume whole foods and grains, that have undergone minimal processing. This means more of the nutrients will be consumed, as there is considerable loss when the bran and germ are removed to make ‘white’ flours and grains. This includes the loss of essential minerals, proteins, lipids and fibre (Brandolini & Hidalgo, 2012) 
-    Cook for shorter periods and aim to minimise exposure to intense heat, light and oxygen. Research has shown significantly greater retention of vitamin c and antioxidants in steaming compared to other cooking methods (Xu et al., 2014) 
-    Use the outer leaves of vegetables and as much of the pith or peel as is possible so the nutrients in these outer layers are consumed. 
-    Select produce that is as fresh as possible, and maintain its freshness by reducing oxidation (refrigerate where applicable or store out of direct sunlight) 
 
While the above aspects are all ideal to be considered in day to day choices, this may not be feasible for all people with regards to their socioeconomic standards and surroundings. Methods to work with lower budgets include; 
-    Buy shelf stable items like rice, pasta and legumes in bulk 
-    Purchase fresh produce that is in season, and direct from farmers markets 
-    Use a shopping list to limit impulse purchases 
-    Purchase frozen vegetables which can be more economical and are shown to still retain high levels of nutrients. For example, research has shown Vitamin C levels in frozen vegetables versus fresh to stay at least equal to and in some cases even higher. (Frozen Food Info, 2000) 
 
There are many different facets to consider when using food to optimise nutrition and reduce exposure to potentially harmful substances. Keeping all the elements discussed here from farm to fork in consideration, can have tremendous benefits to an individuals health. Instead of sticking simply to a food pyramid or the RDI levels for ones circumstance, this information equips the individual to make more personalised choices, so that what is consumed can become a source of greater source of nourishment. 
 
 

References 

Alvi, S, Khan, K.M, Sheikh, M.A & Shahid, M 2003, ‘Effect of Peeling and Cooking on Nutrients in Vegetables’, Pakistan J Nut, Vol. 2, Iss. 3, p. 189-191 viewed 7 June 2011, http://www.pjbs.org/pjnonline/fin104.pdf. 
Australian Dietary Guidelines, National Health and Medical Research Council, 2013, accessed on 31st May, 2016 by https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/guidelines-publications/n55 

Barnhill, L. & Bronstein, J. (2014). Pesticides and Parkinson’s disease: is it in your genes? Neurodegenerative Disease Management 4(3), 197-200 http://www.futuremedicine.com/doi/pdf/10.2217/nmt.14.18. 
Brandolini, A & Hidalgo, A. 2012. Wheat germ: Not only a by-product. International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition, vol. 63, Suppl 1, pp. 71-74. 
Connelly, P, 2011, Nutritional Advantages and Disadvantages of Dietary Phytates: A Literature Review Part 2. Journal of the Australian Traditional-Medicine Society.  Jun2011, Vol. 17 Issue 2, p16-20. 5p.  

Frozen Food Info 2000, Frozen Vegetables- Do they Count?, Frozen Food Information Bureau ,viewed 6 June 2011, http://www.frozenfoodinfo.com.au/html/s02_article/default.asp?nav_top_id=59&nav_c at_id=189&selTXT 

Kajta, M. & Wojtowicz, A. (2013). Impact of endocrine-disrupting chemicals on neural development and the onset of neurological disorders. Pharmacological Reports 65, 1632-39 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24553011 
Mostafalau,S. & Abdollahi, M. (2013). Pesticides and human chronic diseases: evidences, mechanisms, and perspectives. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 268(2), 157-77 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23402800 

National Cancer Institute n.d., Chemicals in meat cooked at high temperatures and cancer risk, viewed on 26 October 2014, http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/cooked-meats 
Turhan, S 2006, ‘Aluminium contents in baked meats wrapped in aluminium foil’, Meat Science, vol. 74, no. 4, p. 644-647, viewed 7 June 2011,ph http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0309174006001719 
Xu, F 2014. Domestic cooking methods affect the nutritional quality of red cabbage. Food Chemistry, vol. 161, pp. 162-167, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24837935