I just finished my first quick read of PPLP -- what an excellent book (and the chapter on Leaky Gut describes me so perfectly!)

I easily qualify as a Hedonist, but I'd prefer to move to Dilettante status. How have people done that? It's a whole new concept for me to buy organic. Does it really make that much of a difference?

Merci in advance for responses!

Matter of opinion.

I prefer to buy produce grown with minimal pesticides. I have concerns about produce grown without pesticides drived from plants that have suffered insect attacks -- the plants produce chemicals designed to kill or sicken the insects. These chemicals are likely not good for people, either. They are systemic chemicals, meaning they infuse the entire plant, which includes whatever part you are eating. I know one of the most distinguished researchers in this field, winner of the top award in botany given in the US. He is ambivalent about produce that is grown with no pesticides, and uses small amounts of pesticide on his own home grown produce when he has insects that invade.

To be organic, produce must be grown using organic fertilizers. This has no effect at all on the composition of the plants. You can use chemical fertilizers with no issues. So you end up paying a premium in part due to fertilizer that does nothing but drive up the price.

I prefer the taste of grass fed beef *where I live now*. I've had grass fed beef from other places; some of it tastes like butt.

I prefer free range chickens which have better developed legs and thighs. They taste better to me, and they are raised under more humane conditions. I am willing to pay for that but I am not financially in a position to pay $10 for organic chickens and, frankly, they don't taste different to me than free range chickens. Regular chickens in the grocery store are no longer raised with hormones under new federal law.

I much prefer organic pork -- tastes better. I buy it from the grower. I think I paid slightly more to buy it and have it cut and wrapped than I would for an equivalent amount of pork at the grocery.

I think a lot of what is believed about "organic" food is based on science of the same quality as that supporting the food pyramid -- some good, a lot junk, many assumptions that no one is even aware they are making.

Chell...another thing to consider about 'organic' is that some farmers/growers do not qualify for organic status because their property is too close to the potential contamination of a nearby non-organic farm. But they follow organic methods, they produce sustainably, and they in all other ways comply with the designation. An example...I've got my own small garden, and I use organic methods in raising my herbs, tomatoes, peppers and greens. But the grassy areas around my garden (I live in a complex) are treated with ChemLawn. Well, I shield my garden during treatments and it's separated from the treated areas by quite a bit of space and cement non-treated area. I only water from the tap or from free-collected rainfall (not rainfall that comes off a potentially treated roof.) Still, my little plot wouldn't qualify as organic because it's too close to potential sources of non-organic contamination.

What I did is get to know some of the farmers who showed up at the farmer's market (and then continued that relationship over winter when they weren't at the market as often.) So my dairy isn't all organic...but the farm that doesn't qualify does sustainably raise their cows and follow organic principles. I try to get organic produce whenever I can, but if it's locally raised and I've talked to the farmer, I don't always care if it's got an organic label.