Is Organic Food Really Healthier?

Summary

Chasing Life: Is Organic Food Really Healthier?

In this enlightening episode of Chasing Life, host Dr. Sanjay Gupta delves into the perennial debate surrounding organic versus conventional food. Through expert insights and listener interactions, Dr. Gupta unpacks the intricacies of organic farming, evaluates the health benefits, and addresses common misconceptions, providing listeners with a comprehensive understanding to make informed dietary choices.

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Understanding Organic Food: Definitions and Standards

Dr. Gupta kicks off the conversation by clarifying what truly constitutes organic food. Drawing from the National Organic Program of the USDA, he emphasizes that organic classification is based on farming, handling, and processing methods.

"Organic food is considered organic because of the way it is farmed, handled, and processed" [01:16].

Key standards include:

• Absence of Synthetic Inputs: Organic produce is cultivated without synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. This also extends to a prohibition on genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
• No Artificial Additives: Organic packaged foods refrain from using artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.
• Animal Welfare: For animal products to earn the organic label, livestock must be raised without growth hormones or antibiotics, fed organic feed, and granted access to outdoor spaces year-round.

Dr. Gupta further explains that for multi-ingredient packaged foods to be labeled organic, at least 95% of the ingredients must be certified organic. This meticulous certification process ensures that consumers can trust the organic label as a mark of quality and adherence to strict agricultural practices.

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Nutritional Value: Does Organic Equals More Nutrients?

A central question addressed in the episode is whether organic foods offer superior nutritional benefits compared to their conventional counterparts. Dr. Gupta presents a balanced view:

"Strictly speaking, organic food is not necessarily any more nutritious than conventionally grown food, except in a few instances" [04:00].

He acknowledges that while some studies have identified higher levels of certain nutrients—such as phosphorus in various organic foods and omega-3 fatty acids in organic milk and chicken—the overall nutritional differences are minimal. The primary advantage of organic foods, according to Dr. Gupta, lies in their lower pesticide residues.

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Health Implications: Benefits Beyond Nutrition

Beyond nutrient content, Dr. Gupta highlights significant health benefits associated with organic foods:

• Reduced Pesticide Exposure: Lower pesticide levels in organic produce are linked to decreased risks of chronic ailments, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and certain cancers.

  "Organic food sort of has an edge up is lower pesticide levels. And that's important because high pesticide levels in food have been linked to all sorts of different problems" [04:30].

• Antibiotic Resistance: Organic meats present a lower chance of antibiotic-resistant bacteria due to the prohibition of antibiotics in livestock farming.

However, Dr. Gupta also cautions listeners about the higher price tag associated with organic products. To navigate budget constraints, he recommends prioritizing organic purchases based on the Environmental Working Group's Dirty Dozen list, which identifies fruits and vegetables with the highest pesticide residues. Items like strawberries and spinach top this list, suggesting that opting for organic versions of these can be particularly beneficial.

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Practical Advice: Making Informed Choices

Emphasizing pragmatism, Dr. Gupta advises that while organic foods have their merits, the most crucial aspect remains consuming sufficient fruits and vegetables, regardless of their organic status.

"The most important thing is getting your fruits and vegetables in, no matter whether or not they're organic or conventional" [05:10].

He underscores that the majority of people fall short in their daily intake of fruits and vegetables, and the focus should be on improving this aspect of their diet to enhance overall health.

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Listener Interaction: Addressing Measles and Vaccination Concerns

The episode transitions to a listener question from Jean, a 79-year-old who had measles in childhood but is now concerned about recent outbreaks and the need for vaccination.

Jean's Concern:

"I had measles when I was very young... I'm now 79 years old. I am a bit concerned about the new measles outbreaks and I'm wondering if I should get a vaccination" [07:04].

Dr. Gupta's Response:

• Immunity Considerations: He explains that natural infection typically confers long-lasting immunity, but for those unsure, an antibody titer test can determine current immunity levels.

  "If you've had a measles infection, it is fair to say that you have natural induced immunity and it's probably something that has been persistent" [07:37].

• Vitamin A Clarification: Addressing misinformation, Dr. Gupta clarifies that while vitamin A can aid in treating measles in deficient individuals, it cannot substitute for vaccination.

  "Trying to take vitamin A as a preventative measure against measles, that's not gonna work. It's not a preventative, it's not like a vaccine" [09:20].

• Current Outbreak Insights: Highlighting the severity of the ongoing outbreak, Dr. Gupta shares alarming statistics and underscores the importance of vaccination in preventing such tragedies.

  "This Texas outbreak has grown now to about 481 cases, 56 hospitalizations, and these two deaths of school-aged children" [10:01].

Key Takeaways:

• Consult Healthcare Providers: Individuals should consult their doctors to assess immunity and consider vaccination if necessary.
• Vaccination's Critical Role: Vaccines remain the most effective tool in preventing measles and protecting vulnerable populations.

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Closing Remarks

Dr. Gupta concludes the episode by reiterating the importance of informed health choices, whether it pertains to dietary habits or vaccination. He encourages listeners to reach out with their health questions, fostering a community-driven approach to well-being.

"Protecting each other, it's the way we chase life" [10:24].

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Final Thoughts

This episode of Chasing Life serves as a valuable resource for anyone navigating the complexities of food choices and public health concerns. Dr. Sanjay Gupta seamlessly blends scientific insights with practical advice, empowering listeners to make decisions that enhance their health and longevity.

Transcript

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[Sanjay Gupta]

Welcome back to Paging Dr. Gupta. This is the podcast where your questions drive the conversation. And this week we're introducing another one of my producers, Sophia.

[Sophia]

Hi, Sanjay. We have some great calls for you today, and the first one is someone we've actually heard from before.

[Casey]

Hi, Sanjay, it's Casey again. I left you a message. Organic versus conventional food. I actually work in the organic industry and have for coming up on 20 years.

[Sanjay Gupta]

And there's a lot of misconception about.

[Casey]

What is and isn't organic food.

[Sanjay Gupta]

Okay, Sophia, thank you. And Casey, great point. I mean, look, I can't tell you how many times I myself have been at a farmer's market or at the grocery store wondering what the real difference is and then deciding, I think, whether it's worth the price and if it's healthier. So, Casey, to your point, let's start with the basics. Let's start with the definition. As simply as I can put it, organic food is considered organic because of the way it is farmed, handled, and processed. Again, farmed, handled, processed. So according to the National Organic Program of the usda, for food to be considered organic, it's got to meet these standards grown without synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers. That also means no genetically modified organisms. Okay, so it doesn't have any of those pesticides or herbicides in it. No need to worry about harmful dyes because these foods can't contain any artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Okay, so if. Are you with me? Flow. Finally, if it's an animal product, the animals then are not given growth hormone or antibiotics. They get organic feed and must have the option to go outside. Must have that option to go outside. We'll come back to that again. For fruits and vegetables and other agricultural products to be certified organic, they need to avoid the use of prohibited substances. Generally, that's going to mean anything synthetic. That's a general rule. You gotta avoid anything Synthetic. When managing pests or weeds or disease or soil. The requirements for animal products are a little bit different. Livestock have to consume an organic diet plus vitamin mineral supplements as needed. Both poultry and livestock, again, must have access to an outdoor space throughout the year. So you're getting the picture here, the picture I'm painting of what is considered organic. As for packaged foods, it's obviously all about the ingredients. So for a food item with multiple ingredients to be considered organic organic, at least 95% of those ingredients have to be certified organic. Now, one thing organic does not mean. It doesn't necessarily mean that the food was grown near you. And organic doesn't automatically mean the food has more nutrients. So knowing all that, the big question then, is organic really healthier? Well, really. Strictly speaking, organic food is not necessarily any more nutritious than conventionally grown food, except in a few instances. For example, few studies have found a higher phosphorus level in many organic foods. Some studies have found a higher omega 3 fatty acid content in organic milk and chicken. But I think the real point at the end of the day where organic food sort of has an edge up is lower pesticide levels. And that's important because high pesticide levels in food have been linked to all sorts of different problems, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and increased cancer risks. There's also a lower chance of antibiotic resistant bacteria in meats because they're not using the antibiotics. Look, there's no question that organic food also comes with a higher price tag. If you had to choose which foods to buy organic, then you might try focusing on what the Environmental Working Group calls its Dirty Dozen. That's A list of 12 fruits and vegetables with the highest pesticide levels. At the top of that Dirty Dozen list, by the way, are strawberries and spinach. So those are foods and others. You should look up the list. Those foods might be worth buying organic if you can manage it. At the end of the day, the most important thing is getting your fruits and vegetables in, no matter whether or not they're organic or conventional. Most people simply don't get enough fruits and vegetables every day. They don't get enough fiber in their diet. So focus on filling your plate with those healthy options however you can. That's my best advice. When we come back, we got a new question that is 79 years in the making.

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[Sanjay Gupta]

Okay, that sound can only mean one thing.

[Sophia]

That's right Sanjay, we have another page. This one's pretty interesting and it's from a big fan of the show.

[Casey]

My name is Jean. I had measles when I was very young, probably 8 or 9. I'm now 79 years old. I am a bit concerned about the new measles outbreaks and I'm wondering if I should get a vaccination. I never had one. I don't know if I have antibodies still from having the original disease or does that dissipate. I don't know what to do.

[Sanjay Gupta]

Gene, I am pretty certain you are not the only person wondering this since we've seen this outbreak continue to grow. So let me try and break it down this way. If you've had a measles infection, it is fair to say that you have natural induced immunity and it's probably something that has been persistent. However, if you're not sure, you can have your antibody titers checked. In fact, I recently did this because I'm working on a documentary about transplant surgery, but you can get those checked and figure out if you still have immunity. If you're Considered high risk. You may want to go ahead and just get those titers checked. Regardless, talk to your doctor about this. Now, one thing, since we're on the subject of measles, I do want to talk about the role of vitamin A because there's been some misinformation out there suggesting things like vitamin A and cod liver or oil, which is high in vitamin A, could be potential substitutes for the measles vaccine. That is not accurate. Here's what we know. In specific doses taken under the care of a physician, vitamin A can play a role in the treatment for measles. That's why the World Health Organization and the US CDC recommend it. In serious cases. Vitamin A is going to be most useful for people who are actually deficient in vitamin A. And studies suggesting its use, suggesting its benefit, mostly draw on evidence from low income countries where that deficiency is common. Okay, so in places where there's very high levels of vitamin A deficiency, you're obviously going to get a bigger benefit from vitamin A. There is some vitamin A deficiency in the United States, but not very much. That's why you don't see as much benefit from it. But again, in serious cases, giving vitamin A may offer some help. Trying to take vitamin A as a preventative measure against measles, that's not gonna work. It's not a preventative, it's not like a vaccine, and it could lead to some health complications. In fact, in West Texas, where I was a few weeks ago, where that large outbreak is happening, hospitals have now also been treating patients for vitamin A toxicity because people have taken too much vitamin A. What they usually experience at that time is vomiting, nausea, blurry vision. They can develop liver damage and even potentially brain damage. So look, Gene, bottom line, it's important to stay up to date with your vaccines for you, your family. As we've already seen, sadly, measles can be deadly, especially for the most vulnerable among us.

This Texas outbreak has grown now to about 481 cases, 56 hospitalizations, and these two deaths of school aged children. So this is absolutely tragic. And when you look at the vaccination status of most of the cases there's in Texas, 98% were either unvaccinated or had unknown vaccine status.

Protecting each other, it's the way we chase life. It's part of the reason I do this podcast. And remember, you can call us too. Leave us a message with your health question. 470-396-0832.

[Casey]

Thanks for your podcast. I've been listening since you started during COVID and you help me a lot.

[Sanjay Gupta]

Chasing Life is a production of CNN Audio. Our podcast is produced by Aaron Mathewson, Jennifer Lai, Grace Walker, Lori Gallaretta, Jesse Remedios, Sofia Sanchez and Kira Dehring. Andrea Cain is our medical writer. Our senior producer is Dan Bloom. Amanda Seeley is our showrunner, Dan Dezulla is our technical director and the executive producer of CNN Audio is Steve Lichti, with support from Jamis Andrest, John Dionora, Hailey Thomas, Alex Manasseri, Robert Mathers, Lainey Steinhardt, Nicole Pesaru and Lisa Namorow. Special thanks to Ben Tinker and Nadia Kunang of CNN Health and Wendy Brundage.

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[Audie Cornish]

This week on the Assignment with Me, Audie Cornish, there are reports of at least a dozen students and faculty who have been detained by federal agents. How does this happen? How can the government detain legal immigrants without charges? How is this affecting students and faculty at campuses around the country? And who is challenging the government over potential First Amendment violations for punishing people who say things that the administration labels a threat? Listen to the Assignment with Me, Audie Cornish. Streaming now on your favorite podcast, Apple.