With a huge range of organic food and drink to choose from at festive farmers’ markets, farm shops and high street shops, it has never been easier to opt for an organic Christmas feast with all the trimmings, but without all the guilt.

The UK organic market grew by a staggering 30 per cent in 2005, a whopping three-fold rise on the previous year. More and more people are looking to organics as a way to reduce their environmental impact, avoid pesticides and nasty additives, and enjoy GM-free healthy eating. Organic food and drink offer an obvious source of tasty, nutritious, and not to forget luxurious ingredients for Christmas and, of course, all year round too!

Not surprisingly, people are keen to provide the best ingredients to make their Christmas dinner celebrations memorable. A survey for the Soil Association found that when asked what was important to them, when buying food for a meal to serve to family or friends, 95 per cent of people sampled said ‘the taste and quality of the food’.

With so much seasonal and local organic food available it’s easy to ensure your Christmas dinner hasn’t clocked up unnecessary food miles and that your delicious dessert isn’t harbouring unwanted extras.

Why have an Organic Christmas dinner?

• Reduce your Christmas food miles
  A typical Christmas meal could have travelled 49,000 miles, equivalent to two journeys around the world and releasing 37kg of CO2.
  
  
• Cut those winter carbon emissions
  Organic farmers avoid using artificial fertilisers and pesticides, thereby protecting wildlife and reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Over 6kg of CO2 is created for every 1kg of nitrogen produced for fertiliser on non-organic farms.
  
  
• More goodness in your organic brussel sprouts
  More and more people buy organic food because they believe it is healthier and tastier [1]. Consumers’ beliefs are now supported by a growing body of scientific evidence, which confirms that organic food is nutritionally superior than non-organic food. On average, organic food contains higher levels of vitamin C, essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and chromium, as well as important cancer-fighting antioxidants.

65 per cent of people in a 2005 survey for the Soil Association said they wanted to avoid food grown with pesticides and the easiest way to do so is by choosing organic vegetables this Christmas. Under Soil Association standards only four chemicals are permitted to be used, and in practice only a fraction of farmers use them.

There’s also less water in organic vegetables, so pound for pound you get more brussel in your brussels!

• Give non-organic potatoes a roasting
  In 2003, the Government tested 144 potato samples for the residues of the pesticide aldicarb. Nearly 2 per cent had detectable levels, which suggests over 25,000 tonnes of potatoes may have been eaten containing pesticides. Aldicarb, which is used to kill worms and insects by blocking nerve signals, is classified by the World Health Organisation as ‘extremely hazardous’.

Organic potato varieties to look out for include: Milva, an excellent variety, which roasts well and has firm flesh; Sante, a good all-rounder; and Romano, a red potato, good for baking.

• Count the number of ingredients in organic stuffing compared to non-organic, you might be surprised!
  Only 32 of the 290 food additives approved for use across the EU are permitted in organic food. Controversial additives like aspartame, tartrazine and hydrogenated fats, have been linked to health problems such as heart disease, migraines and hyperactivity, and are banned in organic food. Choosing organic ingredients means you can enjoy your Christmas meal knowing you aren’t harming your body with unwanted extra ingredients.
  
  
• A natural, toxic-free, festive occasion
  Unless you eat organic, one item in three in your fridge or kitchen cupboard is likely to contain chemical residues, which often occur in potentially dangerous combinations. Over 350 chemicals are routinely used in intensive, non-organic farming.

Despite official safety levels being set for pesticides, the government’s own tests have shown that real levels may be being underreported.

A recent study by the University of Liverpool showed that certain combinations of four common food additives Brilliant Blue, Quinoline Yellow, MSG and Aspartame, can produce a toxic effect on nerve cells. The mixtures of the additives had a much more potent effect on nerve cells than each additive on its own [2].

• Eat meat with the highest levels of animal welfare
  For many meat eaters animal welfare is as important as taste. The UK’s leading farm animal welfare organisation Compassion in World Farming has endorsed the Soil Association’s organic standards as providing by far the highest levels of animal welfare: ‘ We believe such systems have the potential to deliver far higher standards of animal welfare.’

All animals must have access to the outdoors, with lower stocking densities and a more natural diet. Consequently, they have naturally stronger immune systems and rarely if ever need to be treated with veterinary medicines. Routine use of antibiotics is not permitted under Soil Association standards.

• More gobble in an organic turkey
  Organic turkeys are free-range and this is mirrored in the quality of the meat. Spending their lives running about outside, they keep fit and healthy. For an extra special Christmas treat for the family, choose a lean Norfolk Black or Norfolk Bronze turkey.
  
  
• A festive cheer without the hangover
  In organic wine, it is the grapes that are organic, not the wine itself. This is why you will see labels that read 'wine made from organically grown grapes'. A key difference between organic and non-organic wine is the amount of added sulphur that is added during the vinification to prevent the wine turning to vinegar. The amount of sulphur that can be used is limited under organic rules. On average organic producers use just one quarter of the legal maximum for conventional wines, which may even, lessen the chances of a hangover.
  
  
• A festive spirit the organic way
  Organic spirits are available through specialist suppliers and some supermarkets. The main difference lies in the use of organic raw materials. Conventional vodka is made from grain produced in systems usually reliant upon multiple applications of pesticides and artificial fertilisers.
  
  
• Indulge in pesticide free chocolate
  Cocoa comes from the cacao plant which is one of the most heavily sprayed crops in the world. Pesticides used frequently include chemicals such as lindane, which is linked to severe health problems from blood disorders to breast cancer. Though banned in Canada and Europe, this chemical is still used in cocoa production in many developing countries.

Organic cocoa bushes are grown without the use of pesticides and a recent TNS survey of over 24,500 Europeans - including 1,334 in the UK - found that pesticides in food is people’s number one food safety concern.

Soil Association organic chocolate always contains more cocoa solids than non-organic chocolate and does not contain hydrogenated fat, which is known to be harmful to health. Also, organic milk and white chocolate contain higher levels of beneficial nutrients than non-organic milk. In particular, research has shown that organic milk contains more short-chain omega-3 essential fatty acids, as well as vitamin E and the antioxidant beta-carotene.

Five Soil Association gift ideas

• Support a good cause – buy a friend a Soil Association membership (from £24 a year)
  
• Reduce food miles – sign a friend up to a local organic box scheme for a few weeks in the New Year and see if they like it (good for New Year detox too!)
  
• Introduce a friend to organic produce – buy them a luxury organic food hamper
  
• Organise a visit to an organic farm – great fun and education for kids
  
• Stay in Soil Association certified accommodation for a New Year break.

Don’t just go organic for Christmas, make it a resolution to go organic all year round!

For further information on where to source all things organic and inspiration for Christmas gift ideas visit the Soil Association website www.soilassociation.org

For the Soil Association online Organic Directory visit the Why Organic website
www.whyorganic.org

To find out about your nearest farmers' market visit www.farmersmarkets.net