FAMILY MEDICINE® COLUMN
By John C. Wolf, D.O.
Associate Professor of Family Medicine®
Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine

READER ASKS IS HOME-GROWN FOOD HEALTHIER?

Question: I have an ongoing discussion with my non-gardening neighbor. I claim the food I grow to eat fresh or can or freeze for later use is better than the food for sale in the grocery store. He claims I'm wrong that commercially produced food has the highest quality and safety. Is there medical evidence to support either of our positions?

Answer: First, let me admit my bias. I am a gardener. Each summer I plant and tend a garden - as all of my neighbors are aware. Now, here are the objective medical facts, as best as I can determine them.

Medical research on nutrition is very hard to do because a change in diet usually only causes a slow and subtle change in health. Special care is necessary to be sure that these changes are due to diet rather than to hereditary or environmental factors. These limitations make it unlikely that "medical" research will settle your argument in all of its subtle nuances.

There are some important factors to consider in your discussion with your neighbor when arguing the benefits of gardening vs. commercially produced foods, however. The greatest health issue associated with most foods is not related to its nutritious value but rather its risk of causing food poisoning from the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. The spores of this bacteria can withstand boiling temperatures for several hours; and after cooling to room temperature, they can germinate and begin to produce toxin. Leaving the food at room temperature for hours greatly increases the risk of toxin production. Then, this bacterial toxin-laced food becomes a potent poison. Just tasting a small quantity of contaminated food can result in death. Even with the best care available today, 20 percent of poisoned individuals die.

Ingestion of improperly home-processed vegetables, fruits, meats such as ham, bacon, sausage and jerky of all types and seafood is the cause of most cases of botulism. Even fresh garden produce can be contaminated with the ubiquitous spores of C. botulinum and, therefore, can also produce food-borne botulism.

Fortunately, the methods of food preparation and canning used in commercial facilities make this potentially fatal illness quite uncommon. Following currently recommended home canning methods these are not necessarily the same ones Mom used also greatly reduces the risk for home-canned food. So, on this score, it is a close call, but the commercial foods win.

On the topic of flavor, the commercial foods usually place a distant second to home-grown fresh produce. Home-canned and frozen produce is usually equal to, or superior to, the best commercial products and considerably more flavorful than the least desirable brands. Score one for the home-grown side.

All commercial foods are grown with the use of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers. Many of the products are then treated with other chemicals to reduce spoilage, improve appearance, or in other ways to increase the value of the product. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has determined a "safe level" for each of these products and, in general, foods produced commercially are at or lower than this level. Home-grown produce, in contrast, may have even higher levels of these chemicals because the gardener fails to follow label directions. On the other hand, the gardener may use none of these chemicals at all. Therefore, this part of the debate gets a split decision.

The greatest benefit from gardening may be the joy of the activity. I enjoy being outdoors, working the soil and nurturing the plants almost as much as I enjoy consuming the succulent, fresh produce. Believe me, no trip to the grocery store is as rewarding. Score one for the garden.

You tally the points. Surprise! I've not settled the question, only provided additional fodder for your neighborly debate on this topic.

Family Medicine® is a weekly column. To submit questions, write to John C. Wolf, D.O., Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Grosvenor Hall, Athens, Ohio 45701.