Food Basics

Choosing to eat organic food is one of the simplest, most pleasurable ways to protect and promote your health. A healthy lifestyle starts with basic nutrition.
The following information provides an introduction to the relationship between nutrition and health; always consult a health professional, such as a registered dietician, before making major dietary changes.

What is food?
Food is the culmination of the agricultural process. Whether it is fresh berries or a package of cookies, food starts on a farm. Everything we eat is composed of three major compounds - carbohydrates, fats and proteins. The human body requires a regular supply of each of these for basic survival. In addition, foods contain varying amounts of vitamins, minerals, and other chemical components that serve functions other than supplying energy to the body. Farming techniques can directly affect the quality, flavor, and nutritional value of foods by affecting the content of both macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats and proteins) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals).

Carbohydrates often supply the immediate energy needs of the body, are the primary source of energy for the brain, and are necessary in great quantity in the diet. Proteins supply amino acids, which can be used for energy or as the building blocks to make new proteins encoded by DNA. Fats, often derided for being "bad", actually act in many vital roles in the body - serving as the major component of all cell membranes, facilitating nerve impulse transfers, protecting internal organs, providing energy, and much more.

Foods may also contain other components that contribute positively or negatively to our health. Fiber, for example, is found in plant-derived foods, and plays several roles in promoting health and preventing disease. Another example, trans-fatty acids (by-products of the production of hydrogenated oils) can increase the risk of heart disease. Trans-fats are found in many prepared foods, such as cookies and crackers - anything with "hydrogenated vegetable oil" in the ingredient list!

Aside from the basic chemical components of foods, many compounds may be added intentionally, or in some cases unintentionally, to the foods we choose to eat. Grains and grain products in the United States are generally fortified with extra vitamins and minerals to replace those lost through processing. Vitamin D is added to dairy products, and iodide to salt to combat previously widespread nutritional deficiencies.

Unlike these compounds intended to promote health, foods may also contain compounds like pesticides, which can have negative health effects. Organic foods consistently have fewer types and amounts of pesticide residues than non-organic foods. See our Resources page for more information.

What should I eat?
The CCOF Foundation believes there is a simple solution to the complex problem of what to eat to attain good health. We've provided some details about planning a healthy diet, but the underlying principles are basic - eat as many organic fruits and vegetables as possible, strive to include high fiber, low-fat foods in each meal, and always look for organic, in-season, locally-produced foods.
Dietary changes can be very challenging. These simple guidelines can make food choices easier:

First, aim to consume a diverse array of brightly-colored organic fruits and vegetables every day. This simple choice will provide vitamins, minerals and other phytonutrients, as well as soluble and insoluble fiber.
Second, choose low-fat foods when possible, and keep added fats (like butter, margarine, and oils) to a minimum.
Third, choose whole grain products over more refined alternatives, to increase vitamin, mineral and fiber intake.
And finally, recognize that foods confer other benefits, such as comfort, social interaction, and fun. No diet should strive to eliminate all "unhealthy" foods, but instead should aim for balance, so healthy choices make up the bulk of foods eaten.

While aiming for good health is a great way to plan a diet, other issues can, and sometimes should, take precedence. Economic concerns, pesticide exposures, environmental issues, and nutritional value can all inform a dietary choice. See our Why Organic? page for more information on the ways organic food addresses these issues.

A healthy organic farm is a study in balances - between predator and prey, weeds and crops, water and drought. A healthy diet takes the same focus, balancing the need for nutrients against our social, psychological, economic, and environmental needs. See our Organic Definition page for more information on the basics of organic agriculture.

Vitamins and Minerals
The term "vitamin" refers to a class of known compounds with established roles in metabolism and basic physiological functions. Unlike carbohydrates, fats and proteins, vitamins do not provide our bodies with calories. Instead, each vitamin is necessary for the proper functioning of certain cellular and whole-body systems. Minerals, like vitamins, provide no energy, but instead act in specific functional roles.

While some vitamins must be eaten regularly, others may be synthesized by our bodies from precursor compounds. And some are stored or recycled so carefully by our cells that we only need to eat them in tiny quantities on an occasional basis. Our bodies cannot synthesize minerals, and must take them in from the diet.

The list of known vitamins and minerals is quite long, reflecting the complexity of human physiology. Vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12, biotin, pantothenic acid, phosphorus, iodine, magnesium, zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, chromium, molybdenum, and chloride all have established physiological requirements. Most are necessary in amounts far less than one gram.

Other vitamins and minerals necessary for human health may exist. Since most of these compounds are necessary in very small quantities, may be stored in the body for years, are found in varying amounts in different foods, and act in multiple physiological roles, research in this field can be challenging.

Fortunately, taking in sufficient vitamins and minerals does not have to be so challenging. A diverse diet, starting with fresh organic fruits, vegetables and whole grains can readily supply the body with the compounds necessary for good health. In addition, a growing body of research suggests organic foods may in fact contain higher levels of these nutrients than non-organic foods. See our Resources page for more information.

Food and Disease
Just as food choices contribute to overall health, dietary choices made over the course of a lifetime can affect the risk of developing certain diseases. Risks for some types of cancer, heart disease, high blood cholesterol levels, stroke, and type II diabetes can all be changed through dietary choices.
Choosing a diet based on organic, in-season, locally-produced fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other low-fat organic choices can change disease risk. Such a diet will provide ample amounts of soluble and insoluble fiber, which can contribute to decreased cancer risk and lowered blood cholesterol levels. This diet will provide antioxidants and other phytonutrients that have been shown to decrease cancer risk by combating oxidative damage (cellular damage due to such things as exposure to cigarette smoke or UV light, stress, and some chemical exposures).
Choosing organic foods will decrease exposure to pesticide residues, many of which are known human toxins and carcinogens. A lower-fat diet based on organic fruits, vegetables and whole-grain products can help maintain a healthy weight, decreasing the risk of developing type II diabetes. A high-fiber, low-fat diet can help lower blood pressure and blood cholesterol, decreasing the risk of stroke.
In short, a few simple dietary choices - organic, in-season, locally-produced fruits, vegetables and whole grain products, along with other low-fat organic choices - can significantly decrease disease risk. In addition, these choices can help protect and improve land and water resources, support local farmers and local economies, decrease pesticide contamination and exposures, improve wildlife health, protect farmworker health, and support a sustainable food system.