Organic Food, Is It Genuinely Effective?
Organic food is nothing new and has been around for a long time, however recently more people have been taking an interest in it and the word organic has turned into a big buzz word. Since organic food is frequently more costly than the non-organic option, those that are in the business of selling organic foods are generating huge profits. As with every new fad, the question must be asked; Is all the positive reviews of organic food the true or is this merely another way to try and get more money from the general customer? Should we be having to pay more money on food that is purportedly better for us?
To discover all the facts, lets take an initial look at what the phrase “organic” actually means to us. The term “organic” in relation to food, means that it has not been changed unnaturally. The likes of synthetic fertilizers, genetically modified microbes, man made fertilizers and pesticides are not used with organic food. Organic meat, dairy products and eggs posess zero growth hormones or antibiotics added to foster production or growth.
The terrain thats used to develop organic crops must go through a lengthy three year process before the crops can be called organic. A couple of years must pass to cultivate the soils natural nutrients so all chemicals are out of the soil when the organic food is cultivated. All these aspects contribute to the added cost of organic food. The thing is, the question still demands to be posed; is this all important? Is there any other reason why I must be interested in obtaining organic food?
The good news is that there are actually numerous good reasons to buy organic food. Firstly, organic food has a great deal more nutritional value then the non-organic alternative. Milk from cows that were organically farmed contained, on average, 50% more Vitamin E, 70% more Beta Carotene, 2 times as many antioxidants and more Omega-3 than milk produced in the conventional way. Organic food is also free of many of the chemically enhancing agents stated earlier which could have a damaging effect on your health. By not carrying these carcinogenic substances the food is better for your health. The next benefit is a matter of opinion, as many people say organic food tastes better than non organic, but again you cannot say this as a fact as its down to ones personal preferences.
Primarily using organic food will in addition have a favorable impact on our environment. This is because organic food is not fed any insecticides and pesticides when it is cultivated. Although this does take more effort and time, it has a positive effect on the environment with the absence of the chemicals that are usually used. Global warming is now a significant hazard to our modern day society. It’s good to know that organic food is not going to use chemicals so it will never create too much pollution. Organic food also affects the way animals are taken care of, as free range chickens are able to roam free and eat when they like whereas many normal chickens are subject to abuse, such as being crammed in cages with lots of other chickens and force fed food to fatten them up.
The main points are simple; organic food is better for the environment, the welfare of the animals and definitely for your health. Now its just up to you to make the final choice. The cost factor should also be evaluated but based on all the good benefits, I strongly recommend you take a serious look at trying to do things the organic way.
For More Information on the Health Benefits of Organic Gardening Visit: Alternative Gardening Methods & Go Green