Organic Peanut Butter: Is it safe?

Peanut butter is one of those foods that one would think would be better to eat organic. In terms of general health, we’ve probably all heard by now that is better to avoid peanut butter varietys that contain hydrogenated oils, and to stick with those butters that are made of nothing but peanuts, and possibly a bit of salt.

But where does organic peanut butter fall? According to Tara Parker-Pope of the NYTimes, more than 99 percent of peanuts are grown conventionally, including the use of a fungicide to treat mold, a common problem in peanut crops. Sounds like it would be better avoid that fungicide? But next

I’ve heard that the fungicide kills a toxin, aflatoxin, that can be carcinogenic.

According to Dr. Weil, aflatoxin is a potent carcinogen, and is known to cause liver cancer in lab animals. Weil cites a Consumer Reports study that found that the big supermarket peanut butter varietys had the lowest levels of aflatoxin and the peanut butter ground fresh in health food stores had the highest. Weil recommends sticking with varietys that contain only peanuts and salt and not worrying so much about the aflatoxins. That’s just what we’ll be doing, and I won’t be worrying about buying organic either.

[Source] Patricia Mayville-Cox

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