The lousy economy over the past few years boasts a silver lining in the temperate Floridian climate where I live. Some folks who lost their jobs have started small farms or expanded existing ones, many of them growing local, organic produce.
While this is a fantastic turn of events, unfortunately, some of these farms have chosen to grow organic hydroponics instead of soil based produce.
Why do I use the word “unfortunately” and “organic” in the same sentence, you may ask?
The reason is because organic hydroponic produce produces big, watery fruit that is very low in mineral content. In a nutshell, organic hydroponics is not nutrient dense food and is basically a waste of money!
The essential problem with hydroponic farming arises through its use of a mineral based solution to grow and nourish the plants instead of soil. Some hydroponic operations even rely on artificial lighting. Proponents of organic hydroponics claim that their produce is just as good as organic produce grown in soil. Such claims are extremely short sighted. To actually assume that an artificial growing environment could ever come close to the perfection of nature is just plain silly!
No mineral solution can ever take the place of black, worm filled, organic soil that is carefully tended and worked by the farmer season after season.
Organic Hydroponics Test Poor Nutritionally
The proof that organic hydroponic produce is relatively nutritionless can be easily and quickly measured with an instrument called a refractometer. Nutritional measurement is performed by squeezing a couple of drops of liquid from the produce to be tested onto the prism of the refractometer and reading the results. The juice should be from the part of the plant that you would actually eat, not the stem or the roots, for example.
The refractometer (click here for a picture of one) measures the amount of carbohydrate and dissolved minerals in the juice. Sweeter, riper produce will therefore test higher brix than unripe produce. Calcium is one of the minerals that increases substantially in high brix produce. The minerals in high brix produce are readily and easily assimilated when eaten because they are in naturally chelated form. This means they are attached to amino acids and are biologically active unlike the same minerals found in a rock, for example.
High Brix Produce Tastes Better
Animals instinctively prefer high brix plants. Cows given a choice of hay will choose the one with higher brix. Cows which graze on high brix grass will produce more nutrient dense milk, butter, and cream too!
Given a choice, humans will choose high brix produce as well because the taste is so much better! Taste will always tell you if the produce is high brix or not. Ever had tomato sauce made from 15 brix tomatoes? It is an experience you will never forget! Organic hydroponic tomatoes generally test at a measly 2 or 3.
Pathetic indeed for the organic price premium you pay per pound!
High Brix Produce Lasts a Long Time Without Rotting
High brix produce is resistant to insects, disease and rot. Have you ever noticed how that box of organic hydroponic strawberries from the store looked so beautiful on the shelf but a mere 2 days later, the berries have developed large spots of rot that have to be cut away?
Produce that rots quickly is indicative of low nutrition, poor quality fruit – organic or not!
What to Choose? (Hint: NOT Organic Hydroponics)
Even local produce grown in soil using conventional means will generally beat out organic hydroponics when measured for mineral content. This is why I tell folks to seek out local produce at farmer’s markets that is grown in dirt, not hydroponically. Buying at farmers’ markets is a great way to seek out quality produce as you can ask the farmer directly how the produce was grown.
Ultimately, the highest brix produce I’ve ever come across is from people’s personal gardens. Working the soil on a small, personal patch of ground yourself is an activity that consistently produces spectacular results. My Mother-in-Law in Australia has a small garden that has the thickest layer of worm filled, black dirt I’ve ever seen. She has been working this soil with compost and other natural fertilizers for over 10 years. There is no doubt that the produce she grows in this dirt is more nutritious and higher brix than any organic produce to be found at the store!
So, actively seek out high brix produce, not just organic and especially not organic hydroponics. Your taste buds and your wallet will thank you.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Sources and More Information
Weston A. Price Foundation
4 Steps to Keep Monsanto OUT of Your Garden!
Heirloom vs Hybrid Produce
Hydroponic Invasion of USDA Organic
Stanley, how do you brix soil?
The nutrient density of grass fed meat depends completely on the brix rating of the soil the grass is grown in – the rich soil means nutrient dense grass which is turned into nutrient dense meat.
To grow plants in water, with a mineral solution, cannot possibly be comparable to real plants grown in rich soil.
Raine, you are so right. Every time we get away from the rules of nature, the ways humankind has farmed and eaten for thousands of year, we get into trouble. None of these so called innovations can create food that is even comparable to the food created in accordance with natures laws.
Raine, I remember that awesome post you did on brix awhile back. I actually went to your blog and tried to find it to link to for this post, but was unable to locate it. If you have a moment to post the link here in the comments I would greatly appreciate it.
Hi Tina, you make a good point here. The farmer must be actively working on the soil in his pasture to continue to increase its nutrient density. Also, your farmer may be giving his cows too much supplemental grain or hay which would cause the butter to lighten as well. The butter from my farmer in FL is deep yellow but in the winter when the grass dies and they are on mostly hay, the butter goes to pale yellow. Time of year is important as well which is why I always stock up on the best spring butter from the rapidly growing grass (butter freezes GREAT).
Thanks Sarah. I forgot to add my name at the end of the post.
I think grass may be nutrient dense in one area of the country and not so much in another. I've made butter from my local grass fed, organic raw dairy farm. I've been to the farm twice and the cows and chickens look great and are eating what they're suppose to. However, the butter from I've made from cream that comes from this farm is whitish but the butter from Kerrygold is a beautiful yellow. So I think the cows eating the grass in Ireland must be loaded with nutrients.
Tina
Hi Anon, not sure how to determine nutrient density of meat other than to make sure the animals are outside and the cows get lots of green grass and the chickens get lots of bugs. Observation of the animals' living environment is key here.
Reminded me of reading this while at the Green Pastures website,
http://www.greenpasture.org/community/?q=node/228
Very interesting!
Sarah – great topic, I have looked at hydroponic produce in the store for many years and done a pass on any of it for the reasons you have listed here. I don't know why growers believe there is any benefit to this type of growing. It only stands to reason that there are really no nutrients in something being grown synthetically without soil or even real sunlight.
I grow so weary of marketing tactics and advertising with clever lingo and weird scientific advancements used by industries to sell products that are really just bogus. There's always something new and "improved" around the corner, and a lot of people can't wait for the latest thing to come out. I wish people were more able to think about their purchases and see through all the balarkey. If we stopped supporting merchants like this, they wouldn't be allowed to continue selling bunk products. If it's not what God or Mother Nature would produce, it's not worth eating!
This is a fantastic post.
I wonder if there's a way to figure out how nutrient dense our meat is. My freind is convinced that the local grass-fed meat I get is not that nutrient dense because the grass in Colorado isn't that good. So maybe I should order it from out-of-state? This friend is also convinced that the grain fed buffalo meat she gets is much more nutritous than the grass-fed meat I get.
Thanks, Sarah.
I hadn't realized that there was an objective way to qualify produce.