Is 'plant based' overused? Mis-used?

[WelshBloke]

You can define in law that a cow is a vegetable. Still doesn't make it correct to call a cow a vegetable.

Not that keen on that analogy.
Organic in food production is specific, well defined, and it's meaning is lawfully protected. I'd say that was more than a marketing term.

Organic was an incorrect term. Plain and simple. Now it is enshrined (barely in the US at least) by some laws. But the term is still technically incorrect.

Words are nothing without context and can have more than one meaning!

 

[nakedfrog]

You can define in law that a cow is a vegetable. Still doesn't make it correct to call a cow a vegetable.

Organic was an incorrect term. Plain and simple. Now it is enshrined (barely in the US at least) by some laws. But the term is still technically incorrect.

Just out of curiosity, is there a specific word you favor that's also accurate?

 

[IBMJunkman]

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

There certainly can be laws regarding "organic". But that doesn't make the marketing word itself less inaccurate.

The word my wife and I use for it is "snobby". As in, I'm going to go to the snobby food section to get some vegetables. Higher prices mean higher profits and the potential (in some cases) for higher quality. But that is about it. The rest of "organic" is just snobby "I can pay more than you" food.

We use 'the hippie section'. We know what we mean when we say that.

Some of it is actually extremely high quality compared to its normie counterparts, doesn't always justify the upcharge, though.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

Not that keen on that analogy.
Organic in food production is specific, well defined, and it's meaning is lawfully protected. I'd say that was more than a marketing term.

Words are nothing without context and can have more than one meaning!

I mean, what's the opposite of organic foods? Cuz 'organic' was a word and had a meaning long before marketing execs and lawyers got hold of it.

 

[WelshBloke]

I mean, what's the opposite of organic foods? Cuz 'organic' was a word and had a meaning long before marketing execs and lawyers got hold of it.

Organic food: labelling and advertising rules

Rules on certifying and labelling organic food, feed and seed.

www.gov.uk

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

Organic food: labelling and advertising rules

Rules on certifying and labelling organic food, feed and seed.

www.gov.uk

No, I'm aware of what is referred to when someone calls food 'organic', just saying there's a problem because that word already had a meaning, which can be teased out if you noodle the opposite of organic food.

'minimally adulterated' or 'de-modernized' would have been better phrases.

 

[Brainonska511]

'minimally adulterated' or 'de-modernized' would have been better phrases.

The problem with the organic label is just that it's a relatively arbitrary set of rules about what can and can't be done in farming. It says nothing of safety, input/output efficiency, food health/quality, or overall environmental stewardship. It's an attempt to market some ahistoric past where an arbitrary set of techniques, that are not inherently better or worse, are the only things allowed. And it results in less food per acre and it sells for more money simply as a pure marketing ploy.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

The problem with the organic label is just that it's a relatively arbitrary set of rules about what can and can't be done in farming. It says nothing of safety, input/output efficiency, food health/quality, or overall environmental stewardship. It's an attempt to market some ahistoric past where an arbitrary set of techniques, that are not inherently better or worse, are the only things allowed. And it results in less food per acre and it sells for more money simply as a pure marketing ploy.

Yep. Maybe 'de-regulated' would work? Or 'alternative foods'?

 

[sdifox]

I got a package of cookies. The labeling says 'plant based'.


Aren't most baked good plant based?

Flour, sugar, vegetable oils, cocoa, mint, vanilla, etc.?

It means no butter, no eggs.

I like to eat vegetarian animals.

 

[dullard]

Just out of curiosity, is there a specific word you favor that's also accurate?

I already mentioned it above. I personally use "snobby" instead.

"Historical production methods" might be a decent replacement term. Since they use pesticides and fertilizers that were historically used instead of modern chemicals that are pesticides and fertilizers. Heck, I'd tolerate "naturally fertilized" or something similar since at least that indicates the absence of man-made fertilizers. Although it still leaves the question of what is a supernatural fertilizer, but it is one step better than organic.

Organic food: labelling and advertising rules

Rules on certifying and labelling organic food, feed and seed.

www.gov.uk

I love that link. What is an organic food in the UK? One that is certified to use organic rules. Click on the organic rules or organic certification links and what do you see? Organic farming is what follows UK organic laws. Click on the UK Organic laws link and you get that UK organic food is food that follows organic rules. Repeat ad nauseam.

 

[WelshBloke]

"Historical production methods" might be a decent replacement term. Since they use pesticides and fertilizers that were historically used instead of modern chemicals that are pesticides and fertilizers. Heck, I'd tolerate "naturally fertilized" or something similar since at least that indicates the absence of man-made fertilizers. Although it still leaves the question of what is a supernatural fertilizer, but it is one step better than organic.

I'm pretty sure that's where the term comes from. As in "adding organic materials to the soil" doesn't reference chemistry to a gardener.

I love that link. What is an organic food in the UK? One that is certified to use organic rules. Click on the organic rules or organic certification links and what do you see? Organic farming is what follows UK organic laws. Click on the UK Organic laws link and you get that UK organic food is food that follows organic rules. Repeat ad nauseam.

I mean you can get to some of the guidance in seconds. I wouldn't advise that you try to read it all though it's pretty involved.
From my link click [UK approved control body] then the first website has a link to organic certification then it'll give you the guidelines it follows.
Like https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2007/834/oj/eng
There's a lot of them.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

" Still doesn't make it correct to call a cow a vegetable."

Have you ever tried to talk to a cow?

'Vegetable' isn't exactly inaccurate.

 

[William Gaatjes]

One most realize :

A lot of people think if it says : "Natural" or "bio" . That it is oke.

I will just give a few examples of natural :

Botulinum toxin (botox) is a natural product and deadly as hell for most lifeforms.

Tetrodotoxin is also a biological product, deadly as hell.

Most heavy metals when not bound by bacteria into harmless substances, are also a natural products and can kill in an instant.

Most of the drugs that make people go wild, have a natural basis.

For example Nicotine, cocaine, opium, ephedrine :

Are natural products produced from plants but that does not mean these substances are harmless !
Even though mankind has learned how to synthesize these products into bad copies.

Biological. It is just a buzzword. Just like sustainability.

 

[igor_kavinski]

Yeah, HIV is also perfectly "organic" until it infects you.

 

[William Gaatjes]

Yeah, HIV is also perfectly "organic" until it infects you.

We are part of the eco system.
A fine balance until someone wants to go wild.

That is why old texts metaphorically speaking, warn us.
Life is not this, But life evolves...
Can be boring, but that is how life unfolds...