Does organic food turn people into jerks?

[Shadow]

Renate Raymond has encountered her fair share of organic food snobs, but a recent trip to a Seattle market left her feeling like she'd stumbled onto the set of " "
"I stopped at a market to get a fruit platter for a movie night with friends but I couldn't find one so I asked the produce guy," says the 40-year-old arts administrator from Seattle. "And he was like, 'If you want fruit platters, go to Safeway. We're organic.' I finally bought a small cake and some strawberries and then at the check stand, the guy was like 'You didn't bring your own bag? I need to charge you if you didn't bring your own bag.' It was like a 'Portlandia skit.' They were so snotty and arrogant."

As it turns out, new research has determined that a judgmental attitude may just go hand in hand with exposure to organic foods. In fact, a new study published this week in the journal of Social Psychological and Personality Science, has found that organic food may just make people act a bit like jerks.

"There's a line of research showing that when people can pat themselves on the back for their moral behavior, they can become self-righteous," says author Kendall Eskine, assistant professor of the department of psychological sciences at Loyola University in New Orleans. "I've noticed a lot of organic foods are marketed with moral terminology, like Honest Tea, and wondered if you exposed people to organic food, if it would make them pat themselves on the back for their moral and environmental choices. I wondered if they would be more altruistic or not."

http://todayhealth.today.msnbc.msn.c...nto-jerks?lite

[logroller]

I dont Know about jerks, but morons possibly. It's a cake and some strawberries; I can manage without a bag, just my two organic hands.

[Toro]

Hardcore liberals are often like that far beyond organic food.

[logroller]

My personal favorite is when the grocery store bagger puts a gallon of milk in a bag; and sometimes, they even double bag it because it's heavy...I hold back the urge to ask them why, and just tell them 'that's OK, the milk already has a handle.'

[Shadow]

I have never noticed the workers being snobs...but I only go in to health food stores once in awhile anyway. My experience has been that it's usually the actual customers' that look down their noses at what you are buying and give the stink eyes.

[Dilloduck]

At least it costs them more to be snobs.

[logroller]

It's really not that surprising about the marketing aspect of organic foods. Organic is a marketing ploy. I'm not saying that it isn't organic; its just that the label itself is bestowed after a long chain of oversight. It seems everything is 'natural' nowadays. Read the ingredients list though, and it has things that I wouldn't consider natural. But natural isn't regulated. It bothers me that the organic fundies would be snooty though. I mean, if more people ate balanced diets, fruit/ vegetables etc, regardless of whether it was organic they'd be worlds healthier. Seems that should be the focus as it would have a far greater impact on health than organic. Like I said though, marketing!

[logroller]

A case in point: peanut butter. I buy Laura schudders(sp), an all natural product. Peanuts, peanut oil and salt. Of course they also sell organic skippy. Organic peanuts, organic sugar, organic palm oil, organic salt etc. I'm like seriously, sugar/ palm oil? Whats next, organic cigarettes?

[SassyLady]

A case in point: peanut butter. I buy Laura schudders(sp), an all natural product. Peanuts, peanut oil and salt. Of course they also sell organic skippy. Organic peanuts, organic sugar, organic palm oil, organic salt etc. I'm like seriously, sugar/ palm oil? Whats next, organic cigarettes?

Why not make your own? I do at the store all the time in the natural foods section. I make almond butter and cashew butter at the same time. Simply .... just put the nuts in the blender and out comes the butter. I don't add any oil or salt.

[SassyLady]

Wow .... did that just sound snobby about the peanut butter? Didn't mean to......

[logroller]

Why not make your own? I do at the store all the time in the natural foods section. I make almond butter and cashew butter at the same time. Simply .... just put the nuts in the blender and out comes the butter. I don't add any oil or salt.

I do that too, when I go to that store. But I've never thought about doing it my blender...which is ok, but not all that great. You got a vitamix or something topend, snob?
Seriously thiugh, I think it wouldn't blend it right, too thick. Did you mean food processor.......

[SassyLady]

I do that too, when I go to that store. But I've never thought about doing it my blender...which is ok, but not all that great. You got a vitamix or something topend, snob?
Seriously thiugh, I think it wouldn't blend it right, too thick. Did you mean food processor.......

No, I do it at the store with whatever device they have right there. Does that sound snobby? I don't even know the name of the thingy I use.

I have a vitamix, juicer, blender, food processor ..... all of those whatumacallits sitting on a shelf in the pantry. Both ex and daughter think I like to cook and every year I get the latest and greatest. Oh, I have a bread maker .... so much easier to buy all the exotic breads I want at the market.

Crap....sounds snobby again. OK, I'm really a fast food junkie and never eat organic unless it's right out of my own garden. I refuse the pay the extra price.

[logroller]

No, I do it at the store with whatever device they have right there. Does that sound snobby? I don't even know the name of the thingy I use.

I have a vitamix, juicer, blender, food processor ..... all of those whatumacallits sitting on a shelf in the pantry. Both ex and daughter think I like to cook and every year I get the latest and greatest. Oh, I have a bread maker .... so much easier to buy all the exotic breads I want at the market.

Crap....sounds snobby again. OK, I'm really a fast food junkie and never eat organic unless it's right out of my own garden. I refuse the pay the extra price.

Its ok; I don't think you're a snob. I think it's a grinder though; sorta squeezes the peanut butter out like soft serve ice cream. I buy organic sometimes; Costco had an organic strawberry jam that was amazing, but they discontinued it. :sad: I do read ingredients. But whole foods, meh, don't care.

[SassyLady]

Its ok; I don't think you're a snob. I think it's a grinder though; sorta squeezes the peanut butter out like soft serve ice cream. I buy organic sometimes; Costco had an organic strawberry jam that was amazing, but they discontinued it. :sad: I do read ingredients. But whole foods, meh, don't care.

Could be a grinder .... I just dump in nuts and push button and the butter drops into the container and I put lid on it. I don't even have to clean up anything. Coolest thing. I haven't tired mixing my nuts yet. Wonder sometimes about doing that and adding a little fruit. Would drive the checker crazy trying to figure out what to charge!

[logroller]

Could be a grinder .... I just dump in nuts and push button and the butter drops into the container and I put lid on it. I don't even have to clean up anything. Coolest thing. I haven't tired mixing my nuts yet. Wonder sometimes about doing that and adding a little fruit. Would drive the checker crazy trying to figure out what to charge!

The one I've used had a hopper already filled; just press the button. I think they have one with almonds too but no cashews. Cahews are good, so buttery. Peanut butter is my favorite though. You ever tried it on pancakes? It gets all melty and gooey, mixed up with syrup...amazing.

Next to the nut grinders they have a honey dispenser that looks like a beehive. I always play the same gag on my kids; as they always want to look inside and see if there are bees, but once they do I make a really loud buzzing sound-- they always jump. Its hilarious.