These days, organic food is all the rage. A quick visit to any grocery store reveals just how popular it has become, with “certified organic” labels printed on everything from cereal to coffee. Though some people are skeptical of the concept, organic food really is better for you and the planet. Here’s why.
1. No Toxic Chemicals When Growing
One of the main draws of organic food is that it doesn’t contain synthetic pesticides or herbicides. Conventional farming relies on the use of chemicals to ward off insects and rodents that would otherwise eat the crops. However, trace amounts of these chemicals can end up on the consumer’s plate, potentially leading to a wide range of health effects.
Pesticide residue has no apparent immediate effects. But it can build up in the body over time – a process known as bioaccumulation – and may cause problems later in life.
It’s important to note that some pesticides are perfectly natural. For example, a potent rat poison known as cholecalciferol goes by another name when it’s found in your food: Vitamin D3. In fact, it’s an essential nutrient in the human diet. Therefore, organic farmers can still use pesticides, but not those that cause health problems. You won’t find Roundup in your organic tomatoes.
2. Fewer Additives When Processed
Artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives have no place in organic foods. Organic foods can still contain harmless additives like baking soda in bread and enzymes in yogurt, but they won’t be soaked in food coloring, injected with flavors concocted in a lab, or contain unnatural preservatives.
3. Potentially Better Nutrition
Organically grown foods generally are more nutrient dense ie. have more vitamins and minerals than conventionally grown foods. What scientists have discovered is this: Soil quality greatly affects the nutrient content of fruits and vegetables. Organic farming tends to promote practices that improve soil health, and healthier soil produces more nutritious crops. Therefore, it’s reasonable to conclude that organic produce is better for you. With sophisticated nutrimeters you will soon be able to use these tools to find out exactly what is in your food. Currently growers use brix meters
4. Improved Soil Health
Spraying the ground with weedicides and plants with fungicides depletes the soil of nutrients. This practice is common with conventional farming. In contrast, organic farming not only uses no-till practices and crop rotation, it focuses on plants that replenish essential elements in the soil. For example, clover, soybeans, and peanuts, which farmers often plant as cover crops to help fix nitrogen naturally in the ground.
5. Overall Freshness
Preservatives allow foods to travel a long distance without spoiling. Without these chemical additives, organic food has to stay a lot more local. That’s good news because it means the organic squash you bought at the farmers market is likely fresher than the kind they sell at the store. It also helps you support the local farmers in your community.
To be continued…