Organic Living

 

People often ask, why should I eat organic? Is it even worth it? Some even say they don't like the taste of organic foods and don't even know what the term organic means. Here are a few reasons why we support eating organic whenever possible, and how eating organic can make you healthier and inject more energy and vitality into your life. 

 

What is organic? 

Organic food is grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, genetically modified organisms, or ionizing radiation. Animals that produce meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products do not take antibiotics or growth hormones. 

 

Does organic taste better?

All people have different tastes, but gourmet chefs across the nation are choosing organic food to prepare because they believe it has superior taste and quality. An increasing number of consumers are also of the opinion that organic food tastes better. Because organic food is grown in well-balanced soil, it makes sense that these healthy plants have a great taste. 

 

Why should I eat organic?

Organic foods, especially raw or non-processed, contain higher levels of beta carotene, vitamins C, D and E, health-promoting polyphenols, cancer-fightingantioxidants, flavonoids that help ward off heart disease, essential fatty acids, and essential minerals.

 

On average, organic is 25% more nutritious in terms of vitamins and minerals than products derived from industrial agriculture. 

 

Levels of antioxidants in milk from organic cattle are between 50% and 80% higher than normal milk. 

 

Organic wheat, tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, onions and lettuce have between 20% and 40% more nutrients than their non-organic counterparts.

 

Organic food contains qualitatively higher levels of essential minerals (such as calcium, magnesium, iron and chromium) that are severely depleted in chemical foods grown on pesticide and nitrate fertilizer-abused soil. UK and US government statistics indicate that levels of trace minerals in (non-organic) fruit and vegetables fell by up to 76% between 1940 and 1991. 

 

Organic food doesn't contain pesticides. More than 400 chemical pesticides are routinely used in conventional farming and residues remain on non-organic food even after washing. Children are especially vulnerable to pesticide exposure. One class of pesticides, endocrine disruptors, may be responsible for early puberty and breast cancer. Pesticides are linked to asthma and cancer. 

 

Organic food isn't genetically modified. Under organic standards, genetically modified (GM) crops and ingredients are prohibited. 

 

Organic animals aren't given drugs. Organic farming standards prohibit the use of antibiotics, growth hormones and genetically modified vaccines in farm animals. Hormone-laced beef and dairy consumption is correlated with increased rates of breast, testis and prostate cancers. 

 

Organic animals aren't fed slaughterhouse waste, blood, or manure. Eating organic reduces the risks of CJD, the human version of mad cow disease, as well as Alzheimer's. 

 

Organic animals aren't fed arsenic. 

 

Organic animals aren't fed byproducts of corn ethanol production (which increases the rate of E. coli contamination). 

 

Organic crops aren't fertilized with toxic sewage sludge or coal waste, or irrigated with E. coli contaminated sewage water.

 

*content obtained from the Organic Consumer's Organization