Taking A Look At The Benefits of Organic Food

Organic whole food is a very controversial topic in today’s health industry. Nutritionists all over the world try to answer the question of whether organic food is better and healthier than processed food.

The research done so far shows that compared to non-organic counterparts, organic food is safer, flavorful, and more nutritious.

What does organic mean?

The actual term refers to the way through which agricultural products are processed and grown, meeting specific requirements. Organic crops need to have no modifications, grow in safe soil, and remain separate from any other conventional products.

Farmers can’t use bio-engineered genes, synthetic pesticides, sewage sludge-based fertilizers or petroleum-based fertilizers. The organic label is only given to those foods that meet USDA standards.

What are the benefits of organic food?

Although this has been an intense discussed topic for years, the actual benefits of organic foods haven’t been supported by studies until recently.

Research has shown that an organic whole foods diet is generally better for everyone, humans, animals, and even the environment. Many think it  tastes much better than a commercial food diet.

Here are some of the benefits of organic food:

Nutrition:

Thanks to the maintenance and care of soil, and the preventive farming methods such as crop rotation, vegetables and fruits obtained organically may contain up to 50% more minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and other nutrients, compared to conventional food. This relates to more nutrition per calorie, and makes for fantastic foods to loose weight.

Milk is richer, veggies and fruits are tastier, and cheese bursts out with more fragrance. It’s hard to return to commercial foods once you’ve tasted the fresh organic products’ sweetness.

No chemicals:

Industrial fertilizers and pesticides used for non-organic food contain different toxic, synthetic chemicals, and residues. Organic farming is not allowed to use any chemicals, only natural methods.

Therefore, food is safer and healthier. The real difference is the lack of sweeteners, artificial flavors or colors, preservatives, growth hormones, residual antibiotics and pesticides; none of these are allowed in organic foods.

No genetically modified ingredients:

Given the fact that there isn’t much data on the genetic modification’s safety; many are concerned of the ignorance regarding the negative effects, because of the huge profits generated by these production methods.

A healthier environment:

Organic food is considered to be safer for the entire environment; the methods and procedures used in organic farming preserve the worth of the soil and protect its structure and nutrient content.

The practices of organic farming also conserve natural resources, requiring less energy and water.

Organic food is free of any chemical pesticides:

Not only farmers are not allowed to use them, but organic farms need to be chemical free for at least 5 to 10 years before considered approved for growing organic products.

Non-organic veggies and fruits are covered with these chemicals, and it doesn’t all wash off. Pesticide residues can be found not just in vegetables and fruits, but also in baby food, bread, and almost everything that is not organic.

Although governments claim that there’s no risk regarding these pesticide traces, who can say would actually prefer these products instead of the organic ones?

Conclusion

Overall, organic whole food has many benefits, decreasing toxins and helping to increase the intake of minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. However, it is also more expensive than commercial food.

So you can only decide for yourself whether you want and can afford organic food, but spending wisely, your money on home-made meals, instead of getting fast-foods just might be better.