Organic Hype?

Recently I received a green tip newsletter about organic meat. The daily green tip was basically about buying organic beef because the grains the cows eat are free of pesticides and hence organic and sustainable farming is supported. I was a bit frustrated at this tip because here are authors who claim to be experts on the topic of green living when in all actuality, organic beef isn’t what is best.

I think the authors of the green living tip were just going along with mainstream and using the term organic because it’s what people want to hear. People want to believe that if they spend more money on sustainable farming they are making a difference. And it does, but we must still be educated about the food we eat and the products we buy. Organic beef is better than standard beef but it is not the best and certainly not the greenest.

What is the best and greener than organic beef is grass fed beef. Grass fed beef contains more omega-3 fatty acids because the cattle are allowed to graze, which is a necessary and healthy activity for cattle. Grass fed beef is also much higher in nutrition than grain fed cattle. Although the cost is a bit more, the taste and health benefits of eating grass fed beef pay off. Need some more information before you are convinced to make the switch? Read about grass fed beef at Eat Wild.

As far as other organic products go, if you are concerned about sustainable living wages for farmers and workers, make sure the products you buy are fair trade certified.