Revisiting organic food vs. conventional food

[nancylebov]

A few months ago, I posted here and at Less Wrong about the question of how much was known about the health effects of organic food vs. conventional food.

I just found out about one animal study. It looks as though GMO corn and/or Roundup could be very dangerous. It also looks as though lifespan studies (two years) on rats are very rare compared

Comments

[houseboatonstyx]

I've been thinking that a long-term study with humans would be almost impossible, on the general question of 'organic food' and 'healthier'. People who eat organic usually do other healthy things, such as exercise, avoiding polluted environments, etc.

The animal tumor study you mention sounds very specific and very expensive. If it drew much notice, I bet the non-organic interests would soon find a different specific question to fund, showing no difference.

[anton_p_nym]

I should point out that Orac found some significant flaws in the "Roundup" study, which makes the conclusion rather dubious.

-- Steve is, admittedly, of the faction that points out that virtually *all* our food is genetically modified; fossilised maize from ~5kya looks more like a biggish barley stalk than a modern-day ear of corn.

[nancylebov]

Thanks.

[alexx_kay]

I really wish that the opposition hadn't crystallized early around the phrase "genetically modified". Monsanto et al have lots of evil, globally harmful practices that should be vigorously opposed. Genetic modification, per se, isn't actually one of them.