Ask HN: How much food labeled as “organic” is truly better for you?

I would not compare an interest in organic food to a gluten-free diet. I would be careful when saying '"gluten-free" craze' because celiac disease is very real and certain people cannot tolerate gluten. I am not saying the subject is out-of-bounds, but just be informed before discussing. Personally, I find trying to understand other people's diets to be a subject that is best avoided and I would not get into it with your friend.

When common people say "organic", they think of local farming, no pesticides, renewable resources, and other warm and fuzzy thoughts. However, the official label is quite different.

The organic label, contrary to popular opinion, does not forbid pesticide use. You merely have to use "organic" pesticides, such as Rotenone. If the organic pesticide used is not as effective as conventional pesticides, farmers will use more chemicals. These of course leach into the watershed.

There are many articles about this; here is one I found on Google. http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/science-sushi/httpblogss...