“Leave our food as natural as possible!” Whether or not you agree with this statement, it probably sounds familiar. Natural food advocates have a vested interest in convincing you that their foods are better: environmentally for our planet, physiologically for our bodies, and ethically for animals and other humans. In one particularly clever ad released on You-Tube by the Organic Trade Association, “the organic rebellion” battles for control of the American supermarket against “the dark side of the farm.” The rebels are Cuke Skywalker, Obi Wan Cannoli, Tofu D2, Chew Broccoli, and Princess Lettuce; on the dark side are Darth Tater (“more chemical than vegetable”) and his band of genetically modified, irradiated, and pesticide-saturated followers. A quick glance at the thousands of comments below the video confirms that even children have no trouble getting the message: Natural is good, artificial is bad.
How strange, then, to realize that “Leave our...