Advantages of Organic Foods

                                    Advantages of Organic Foods

What does “Organic Food” even mean, anyway?

 To call a food organic simply means that it’s been produced using environmentally sound methods – methods that emphasize the use of renewable resources, soil conversation, and water conservation to keep a high quality growing environment.
 Organic foods are produced without pesticides & chemical fertilizers. They don’t have genetically modified organisms, are not processed with irradiation, industrial solvents, or with chemical food additives.

 

 

Reasons To Choose Organic Foods

1. Organic Farming is less toxic for the environment.
Industrial farming uses synthetic pesticides, which can drift downstream and cause serious damage to non-farming communities. These farming methods can damage the soil and make it harder to grow
healthy crops for future generations. Organic farming limits these toxic chemicals in our environment.


 2. Organic Farming is better for your body.
When foods are grown with pesticides & chemicals, where do you think those chemicals end up? Pesticides can do decrease fertility, increase your risk of cancer, and do damage to your nervous system. Organic foods generally have higher levels of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants than their conventional counterparts.

 3. Organic Food Tastes Great!

 The truth is, organic food simply tastes better. It makes sense that the food that is grown in a real growing environment would be more flavorful.




4. Helps Local & Family Farmers

While organic farming has grown from nothing to a $51 billion dollar industry in the span of around 20 years, only .7% of the total worlds farmland is organically farmed. There are over 13,000 certified organic producers in the United States. The more demand for organic food, the bigger the industry will get. And as the industry grows, more farms will use organic farming methods to satisfy the demand. So it’s a win-win! You eat organic foods, and more organic foods get farmed.

5. Organic Food Meets Strict USDA Standards
The USDA has created standards for organic foods and organic farming designed to protect you when purchasing organic foods. Organic foods are safe, good for you, and highly regulated to make sure that you continue to be safe in choosing organic foods.

6. More Nutrients

The European Union funded study found that organic fruit and vegetables have up to 50% more antioxidants, which scientists believe can cut the risk of cancer and heart disease. They have also more vitamins and minerals such as iron and zinc.
According to other recent studies, organic foods are better for fighting cancer. And people eating organic food have improved immune system, better sleeping habits and are less likely to be overweight than when eating "conventional" foods. (Can you imagine the benefits of eating both raw and organic food?)

7. Safer for Babies and Children

The advantages of organic foods might be highest for babies. The average baby is born with 200 toxins and carcinogens in its body. By the time kids reach their 2nd year, most have pasted the lethal limit for the toxins. By feeding your child organic food, it will have about 1/6th the amount of carcinogens in its blood. Thus you will decrease the chances of illnesses significantly. Therefore, especially for infants and children a raw organic food diet is incredibly important.

Natural Foods vs. Organic Foods

                                Natural Foods vs. Organic Foods

 

Do 'organic' and 'natural' mean the same thing?

No, "natural" and "organic" are not interchangeable terms. You may see "natural" and other terms such as "all natural," "free-range" or "hormone-free" on food labels. These descriptions must be truthful, but don't confuse them with the term "organic." Only foods that are grown and processed according to USDA organic standards can be labeled organic.

Natural Foods vs. Organic Foods

Where organic food has legal definitions & standards for what it actually is created with, the word

“natural” in food labeling does not. In general, it’s supposed to imply that the food is minimally processed and does not contain any manufactured ingredients. However, there are no official standards for “natural food”.  The FAO (Food & Agricultural Organization) does not recognize the term “natural”. The FDA and USDA both do not have any rules for “natural” labeling. In fact, the FDA has discouraged the food industry from using the term.
In a perfect world, food manufacturers would not call their food or ingredients “natural” if they weren’t – but as there is no legal meaning to “natural”, it means manufacturers have almost free reign to call their foods “natural” even if they are not.
There is even an act, The Food, Drug, & Cosmetic Act that prohibits labeling food that is false or misleading, however, it doesn’t give any specifics.
Ultimately, it is up to you, the consumer, to be responsible with your food purchase choice