“It’s time we asked, what’s really in my food?” says John Sowa, chef and owner of Sweet Basil’s Café in Cannon Beach. “The first lesson I learned about cooking was to use the best ingredients for the best results,” he says. “As a chef, I want great taste in vegetables, fruits, dairy, eggs, meat and seafood, and nothing beats organic, natural or wild foods.”

Organic foods have been heralded by chefs and home cooks for many years. One of the first cookbooks to recommend their benefits was “Laurel’s Kitchen,” first published in 1976. Authors Laurel Robertson and Carol Flinders wrote, “There is little doubt that organically grown produce is more desirable than fruits and vegetables grown by typical agribusiness practices. Protection against cumulative effects of pesticides is one factor; the long-range productivity of our soils is another. Foods grown and harvested on a small scale can be richer in nutrients and much tastier than the usual commercial product. “

“The obvious, all-round best solution is to grown your own. At the very least,” they wrote, “there is bound to be one produce or farmer’s market in your town, where fresher, better fruits and vegetables can be obtained.”

The authors of “Laurel’s Kitchen” were right. Now endorsed by the USDA, eating “organic” foods has been proven to be our best way of reducing exposure to toxins (including pesticides, which are federally classified as potential cancer-causing agents) and heavy metals, such as lead and mercury, and solvents like benzene and toluene.

What do these toxic chemicals do? Heavy metals damage nerve function, contributing to diseases such as multiple sclerosis and lower IQ. Solvents damage white blood cells, lowering the immune system’s ability to resist infections. Organophosphate pesticides, which account for approximately half of the insecticide use in the United States, are applied to many conventionally grown foods. These work by poisoning the nervous system in pests which, when distributed through food to humans, interferes with the proper functioning of the nervous system. Because their bodies and brains are still forming, children are especially vulnerable to the toxic effects of organophosphate pesticides.

The good news is that now more than 3,000 high-risk toxins that were routinely present in the U.S. food supply are, by law, excluded from organic food. Federal organic standards cover the vast majority of food types, including culinary herbs, pet food, fruits, vegetables, mushrooms and grains, dairy products (including eggs), meats and poultry (including feed), fish and seafood and honey.

To be labeled “organic” by the USDA, foods must be grown at least 95 percent organic – that is, produced without most pesticides, toxic fertilizers, growth hormones and antibiotics. In addition to providing delicious, healthy foods for our families, organically grown foods are better for the health of our planet. These are foods cultivated using farming practices that preserve and protect the environment. Anyone familiar with conventional, big-business agriculture knows that farming methods adhere to a chemical-dependent model of agribusiness. Residues from these farming methods use toxic chemicals that remain in the soil, leach into groundwater and end up on the skin or internal edible parts of commercially grown foods – resulting in poor soil quality, water purity, taste and quality of foods, among other undesirable things.

Labels can be confusing when it comes to “organic.” In the beginning stages, each state wrote its own regulations. As of April 2001, national standards have been in place. According to the National Organic Standards Board, food that is 95 to 100 percent organic may carry the USDA organic seal. Food that is at least 70 percent organic may list the organic ingredients on the front of the package, such as a soup label reading “Vegetable soup made with organic vegetables.” Foods with less than 70 percent organic ingredients will list the organic ingredients on the side of the package.

Organic foods have been proven to be nutritionally superior to conventionally grown foods. A review of 41 studies comparing the nutritional value of organic to commercially grown fruits vegetables and grains showed that organic crops showed 27 percent more vitamin C, 21.1 percent more iron, 29.3 percent more magnesium and 13.6 percent more phosphorus. The flavor of organic foods is also much more pronounced. According to flavor comparisons made between local organic foods and commercial products, organics rate much higher in flavor and nutritious content.

Let’s celebrate organic foods this spring and summer. Organic foods are readily available at our local farmers markets, at small local markets and even at supermarkets (including Fred Meyer and Safeway). Look for organic coffee, organic wines, cheeses, meats and poultry.

Also, look online at localharvest.com to find your local CSA (community supported agriculture) farm. Many local farms offer home delivery of fresh, organic produce.

“With just a little inconvenience in shopping, we can all prepare a healthy, great-tasting meal,” says Chef Sowa of Sweet Basil’s.”Getting back to healthier eating starts with just one organic apple, a dozen organic eggs and a trip to the fish market or buying locally.”