(NaturalHealth365) In a move completely in opposition to the promotion of good health, the Susan G. Komen Foundation has raised unnecessary red flags about the safety and nutritional value of organic foods. On its website, the organization downplays the wealth of research showing the health benefits of organic foods and even goes so far as to suggest there may be safety concerns with food not treated with pesticides.

Misleading its audience about the benefits of choosing organic foods seems a poor choice for an organization that has already seen its reputation slip in recent years. Once considered one of the most trusted nonprofits in the United States, the organization has come under fire lately with accusations of misleading statistics, use of donations, sponsor affiliations, and commercial cause promotions.

Schooling Susan G. Komen on the ‘organic certification process’

Organic farmers, ranchers and processors produce food and fiber using methods that preserve the environment and avoid synthetic inputs, such as pesticides, antibiotics and other chemicals. USDA organic standards describe how farmers grow crops and raise livestock and which materials they may use.

Organic producers and processors in the U.S. must adhere to a very specific set of standards in order to certify their products as organic.

The Organic Foods Production Act, passed by Congress, laid the foundation for defining organic standards developed and enforced by the USDA. Before becoming certified, growers must go through a minimum three-year process, and invest considerable time and resources into meeting the standards. Once certified, ongoing inspections and residue testing assures continued adherence to organic standards.

How cancer patients are being misled by Susan G. Komen

The Susan G. Komen website raises unnecessary questions about the safety of organic food on its website, despite the unusually strict guidelines organic farmers, ranchers and processors follow in producing certified organic food.

The organization goes so far as to suggest that cancer patients and consumers in general need not be overly worried about pesticides in food, when it states, “Some studies have shown that organic food has a lower amount of pesticides, but research has not confirmed that lower amounts of pesticides are causally related to preventing certain diseases or conditions.”

The Susan G. Komen website also states that it cannot recommend consumption of certified organic food, due to the lack of high-quality human research. It also implies that food grown without pesticides could carry safety risks, a claim that is unsubstantiated by scientific study.

Good science and research-backed evidence is being ignored

Contrary to the Susan G. Komen’s inferences about safety risks, USDA’s organic certification is the only food labeling system subject to independent public oversight and review. Such a process guarantees consumers that managed practices incorporating biodiversity, plant health management and natural fertilizers in organic farming replace the use of toxic, synthetic pesticides used in conventional agriculture.

Neither does evidence appear to be lacking regarding the nutritional value of organic food. A recent study led by a team of scientists at Newcastle University in England, and co-authored in the British Journal of Nutrition by Washington State University research professor Chuck Benbrook, provides the latest evidence that organic food is nutritionally superior to food produced by conventional means.

The researchers’ analysis found organic grains and produce to have higher concentrations of antioxidants, lower levels of cadmium and nitrogen compounds and fewer pesticide residues. The scientists reviewed 343 previously published, peer-reviewed studies comparing organic and conventionally grown crops in formulating their conclusion.

Why does Susan G. Komen ignore the facts? One can only wonder what their real agenda is – especially when you see the proof.

According to a news release by Washington State University on the findings, “…consumers who switch to organic fruits, vegetables, and cereals would get 20 to 40 percent more antioxidants. That’s the equivalent of about two extra portions of fruit and vegetables a day, with no increase in caloric intake.”

Antioxidants are believed to prevent cancer, as well as a variety of other diseases, including heart disease and stroke.

The Susan G. Komen foundation does admit that organic farming promotes a sustainable environment. But raising doubts in the minds of cancer patients over the safety and nutritional value of consuming food free of cancer-causing agents is reckless behavior from an organization that has played a pivotal role in raising awareness and support for the fight against cancer.

References:
https://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/OrganicFood.html#grades
https://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentidonly=true&contentid=organic-agriculture.html