Jenay Grant: July 2012

Jenay Grant

English 102

Professor Merrifield

June 2012

Sorting Through the Isles: Raw Food

Introduction

Choosing food in the great span of a super market can be difficult, especially when you are just coming to a point of independence, and trying to develop your own eating habits, or are deciding to shift your eating style. The new technology in the food industry, such as bio-engineering and synthesized chemicals, presents an even greater challenge in sorting out what to buy. One must question whether these new developments are safe? Should you feel guilty for opting for less expensive foods, and what are the tradeoffs? My main issue is “Is the low cost of food today worth it?”

Join me as I guide you through the isles of this research paper. My research paper thoroughly examines these issues in a simple to understand way by first bisecting the broad category of raw food into the produce and the meats. In each category, there are three aspects that must be analyzed: nutritional content, risk evaluation, and ethical implications. I have found that there is no direct and simple answer to this question. I do not believe the answer is a cut and dry every raw food you buy should be organic.

Organic food is a two edged sword. On one side it is new and trendy in the health food world, and on the other side it raises questions in critical consumer’s minds. The popularity of organic food is illustrated in this quote; “According to the Organic Trade Association’s Organic Industry Survey (2011), total organic food sales accounted for $6.1 billion in 2000 and more than quadrupled in the past 10 years to $26.7 billion in 2010” (Van Loo, Alali, & Ricke 204). Its rising popularity can be accredited to the fact that, we, the public tend to believe that organic food is “healthier” and that it poses less risk. On the other side some such as John Goodman, the President of the National Center for Policy Analysis, see it as simply a marketing ploy used to get money (The Organic Scam). For many of us the idea of simply going completely organic is ideal but unrealistic. The way I see it, we don’t have to go completely either way. In order to get the most for your money, a varied and open approach to choosing vegetables and buying quality natural organic meats is best.

Vary Your Produce

Remember sitting at the dinner table and your parents or guardians telling you to eat those veggies or hearing in school that they are good for you. Yet, for so many adults they are the most difficult to get enough of. A study conducted by doctorate students, at John Hopkins University showed that “only 11 percent of adults met USDA guidelines (equal to or more than two servings fruit and… three servings vegetables)” from 1999 to 2002 (Casagrande et.al. 260). I believe that in order to get the most for your money you should purchase and eat as many vegetables and as many different types as you can. The truth of the matter is that with so many processed alternative foods out there we rarely get enough produce. When it comes to produce it really makes no difference whether it is organic or not. Just buy and eat more.

When you analyze the nutritional content in both organic and non-organic produce you will find that there is no significant difference. In fact when you look at a bag of produce it typically contains no nutritional information. This is because the makeup of fruits and vegetables vary. Each one is a unique individual with its own make up. But the FDA has created sheets that can be found online with the average nutritional values found in produce (FDA). On these sheets there is no distinction between organic and non-organic produce. This is because “USDA makes no claims that organically produced food is safer or more nutritious than conventionally produced food” (FDA). Just because a product says organic does not make it any more nutritious. However, as whole vegetables tend to be more nutritious regardless of whether they are organic or not. Our dietary needs require a large amount of fruits and vegetables, and the use of bio-technology allows producers to keep up with this demand without sacrificing nutrient value.

With the use of genetic modifications scientists are able to make plants more resistant to environmental changes so that they can be more successful. Typical plant yield is often greatly reduced because of pests, conditions, and the variability of plant survival. The use of these pesticides which the plants become resistant to prevents bugs and disease from infesting your produce. In addition, “Biotechnology has helped to increase crop productivity by introducing such qualities as disease resistance and increased drought tolerance to the crops” (Wieczorek 2). These changes allow crops to survive better than before. These changes often seem scary yet they really are helping to make fresh produce (which we need more of in our diets) more readily available to the public.

It is true that there are risks associated with conventional farming techniques and the use of pesticides and inorganic fertilizer. However, when it comes to vegetables, the product is well worth the risk. Modified plants have been on the market for about two decades now, and no conclusive studies have proven that they are unsafe, which is why the USDA can make their claim. It is important to remember that there are also risks associated with organic farming. Since organic produce use fewer techniques to synthetically control the environment (“Food Label…”), this could lead to a greater chance of contamination. There are risks on both sides. It is advantageous to vary the source of your fruits and vegetables. Varying the source of produce reduces the likelihood of succumbing to a particular risk.

I believe that the key to revitalizing the health of our nation is for the public consumer to wake up and see that it does not matter what the type of vegetable or fruit is. We need to eat more of them and more frequently. According to research done in the study at John Hopkins University, “Consuming a diet high in fruits and vegetables is associated with a decreased risk of certain chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes” (Casagrande et.al. 260). This indicates that the need for us to buy more raw vegetables goes beyond the fact that they contain needed nutrients; it also may reduce the chance of contracting chronic disease.

As a society we need to eat more fruits and vegetables, whether or not they are organic. Don’t feel guilty if you purchase vegetables at a lower price. Modifying vegetables so that more can be produced is a process that does not diminish the integrity of the plants as individuals. Plants are meant to be grown in one place and to flourish under care. Even with the changes made to them they are able to live successful lives, and this poses little ethical consequence. It is worth it for the consumer to purchase more vegetables and fruits at whatever cost they like. Buying a wide variety also helps decrease the risk of overproduction of a certain type. This stimulates the market with our demand so that even more vegetables and fruits can be produced.

Eat Limited Quality Natural or Organic Meat

Meat on the other hand is a totally different issue. Americans tend to eat 20 percent more meat than necessary according to a news article that claims to get this data from the USDA (Guteierrez). Unlike plants we have a tendency to over indulge in meats. This is bad because the fat found in meat (especially red meat) is highly saturated which can cause clogged arteries, heart disease, and lead to cancer (Harding). This is the opposite of the unsaturated fats typically found in plants. Over eating meat in turn can lead to problems beyond getting an excess of nutrients. It is no coincidence that, with the easy access of meats, heart disease was the number 1 cause of death among Americans in 2008 (“Heart Disease Facts”). Low meat prices give the illusion of value but in reality we as a people are losing. It is worth it to pay the extra price for quality, natural, or organic meat.

Let’s begin with the nutritional value: there is a higher occurrence of high fat meat among non-organic, unnatural meats. When meat is brought up in a way that is not specified as “natural”, “free-range”, or “organic” there is less emphasis on regulations that say animals should be allowed to roam freely and should be fed quality food (Van Loo, Alali, & Ricke 205). Because it is not required for animals to have land to roam on, animals raised in conventional conditions are often crammed into dark facilities with little room to move. They also eat high calorie feed that may even include by-products of other animals (Van Loo, Alali, & Ricke 221). This high fat, sedentary life style of the animals leads to the production of more meats with higher fat content. Although this may not always be seen directly on food labels, it makes logical sense that if an animal is not walking around and getting exercise there is less quality muscle dense meat on it. This means there is more cheap-fatty meat available because of the non-organic market.

With a careful analysis of the risk it is evident that the low cost production of meat is not really worth the low cost. Unlike a pesticide or genetic alteration in plants which can be cleaned off or alters only one gene, the changes being made to meat may have a greater negative impact. Anti-biotic elements given to the animals do not always break down when digested. One key example of this is that, often when cows are given penicillin, people allergic to penicillin have allergic reactions to their milk (Van Loo, Alali, & Ricke 220).

Also the animal by-products included in the animal feed of non-natural animals can be linked to spreading disease. One major example of this is the breakout of mad cow disease which was caused by animals “ingesting livestock containing… contaminated animal proteins” (Van Loo, Alali, & Ricke 221). The mad-cow disease could cause “Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease” in humans upon ingestion (Van Loo, Alali, & Ricke 221). This reveals that the methods and techniques used in animals pose greater risks to humans because the changes can directly impact us. Also, it shows that producers trying to cut corners, by forcing animals such as cows that eat plants to eat by products of other animals is not always good for their health or ours.

Finally, the methods that come along with the complex issues within the low cost production of meat are unethical for both the producer and the consumer. For the producer the view is that the demand for cheap meats outweighs the importance of preserving the integrity of the animals and keeping the consumer informed. For the consumer, you and I, we have fallen victim to a lack of compassion due to the fact that buying cheap may be habitual.

Producers of unnatural meat have forgotten that, unlike plants, animals are not meant to be stuck in one place and grown. In the past, meats were quite possibly the most difficult food to obtain because the animals roamed freely and we had to go out and catch them. Now many producers have the animals contained indoors, away from their natural environment, crammed in barns, unnaturally close to one another, and suffering the consequence of disease and muscle atrophy (The issues: animal welfare). Conventional farmers know that the public would not like to see the image of birds crammed into wire cages and pigs shoved in barns. This may be why unlike organic meat, conventional meat origin is not publicized. It is not a pretty picture, but many large-scale conventional meat producers have become too numb and money hungry to recognize the fact that the essence of what the animals are is being destroyed.

However, as the consumers we should feel slightly guilty too when we buy those cheap meats. We are caught without compassion and in habit. There is a major sense of detachment that has happened between consumers and their food. Many people get into the habit of wanting food fast but not thinking of the consequences. If a product does not claim to be USDA organic standard, or free range then the animals most likely had no access to the outside and if it is not “natural food” then it may possess added ingredients (Van Loo, Alali, & Ricke 205). In today’s market place we must put in effort search for these labels and pay the price to be sure of the product we are receiving. We must wake up and, not only realize, but also CARE that the lifestyle of the animals that give us cheap, easy, unnatural meat is unhealthy. Those animals are suffering. When we eat their meat, we eat the suffering too.

Reconnect with your meats. Understand that our dietary needs do not call for the over production of fatty meats. The risks are not worth it because of this. Also realize the process of obtaining the cheap meat diminishes the integrity of the animal. Even if you don’t care about the “animals feelings” you should care that its conditions have a direct impact on you.

Conclusion

A completely organic, natural lifestyle is typically unrealistic for most people unless they live on an organic farm. With jobs, school, and the fast paced lifestyle that we each face it can be difficult to sort through the aisles of the grocery store and to avoid the processed “junk”. I applaud you for taking an interest in my essay and reading my researched arguments on buying raw food. If I convince you of nothing else, I would like to imprint in your mind that as a consumer it is your demand and control that can make a difference. Buy varied fresh produce because your body needs it in abundance. Buy organic meats because your body does not need an excess of “junk” meat, and neither does the food market.

Works Cited

Casagrande, Sarah S., Youfa Wang, Cheryl Anderson, and Tiffany L. Gary. "Have Americans

Increased Their Fruit and Vegetable Intake? The Trends Between 1988 and 2002." American Journal of Preventive Medicine 32.42 Dec. (2006): 257-63. Web. 24 July 2012

Gutierrez, David (Staff Reporter). "Americans eat too much meat, not enough fruit, says USDA

research." NaturalNews.com Real News Powered By the People 30 Aug. (2010). Web. 24 July 2012.

"Food Label Helps Consumers Make Healthier Choices." U.S. Food and Drug

Administration: Protecting and Promoting Your Health. US Department of Health and Human Services, 6 June 2012. Web. 3 July 2012.

Goodman, John. "The Organic Food Scam." HealthWorks Collective: The world's best thinkers

on health care. Webcast. Siemens, 24 May 2012. Web. 24 July 2012.

Harding, Anne. "Study: Too much red meat may shorten lifespan." CNN Health. Health.com, 13

Mar. 2012. Web. 24 July 2012.

"Heart Disease Facts." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). U.S. Department of

Health & Human Service, 23 Mar. 2012. Web. 24 July 2012.

"The issues: animal wellfare." Sustainable Table: educate, advocate, cultivate Sept. (2009).

Web. 24 July 2012

Van Loo, Ellen J., Walid Alali, and Steven C. Ricke. "Food Safety and Organic Meats." Annual

Review of Food Science and Technology 3 Apr. (2012): 203-25. WVULibraries. Web. 3 July 2012.

Wieczorek, Ania. Use of Biotechnology in Agriculture— Benefits and Risks. Honolulu: College

of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resource, 203. 2-5. Web. 24 July 2012

Jenay Grant

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Essay Background

The Essay English 102