If you've read Michael Pollan's great book, Omnivore's Dilemma, you know America's preeminent organic grocery store chain, Whole Foods, was roundly criticized, setting off an ongoing dialogue between the University of California Berkeley professor and CEO John Mackey.

Those discussions culminated in a recent debate between the two about the past, present and future of food at Berkeley, as well as some of the actions Whole Foods is taking, all with the understanding the word organic doesn't mean what it once did.

Along those lines, Whole Foods plans to develop a multi-tiered system for rating organic farms and meat producers over the next year -- creating more transparency in the food chain -- that they believe could be the basis of a national system. For now, Pollan suggested a marketplace where supermarket organic and farmers' market organic may co-exist.

UC Berkeley News February 28, 2007


Dr. Mercola's Comment:

I hope you enjoyed this eye-opening interview with the CEO of Whole Paycheck, oh sorry, Whole Foods as much as I did. There simply needs to be a more affordable way for you to obtain healthy foods than what is currently available.

I am starting a new company very soon with some of the leaders in this movement who have developed hydroponic systems for NASA and Walt Disney World. It is clear some radical innovations are needed in this area to provide high-quality food produced locally and conveniently at an affordable price.

We hope to provide an amazing solution in the next year, but until then the take-home message from all of this: Pay more attention to the foods you eat, where they come from, and make smarter choices for your optimal health. Your best and safest solution is to find local suppliers for the foods you eat.

Demand is high for organic foods these days, and organic supermarkets like Whole Foods can be both expensive and impersonal. However, a diet based on whole organic foods does not have to be cost-prohibitive for the average family or single consumer. One way to keep costs down is to visit farmers' markets and use Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs.

Another advantage of doing this is that, when you buy local food, it is fresher since it did not have to be transported many pointless miles to get to you. This improves both its health value and its taste.

Related Articles:

Is Organic Good Enough?

Your Family Could be Eating Organic Food for the Same Price as Processed Foods -- or Less

Is Your Grocery Store Running Out of Organic Foods?