ORGANIC seems to be the current buzz word. There is widespread public belief that organic food is safer, more nutritious, and better tasting than conventional food. This may have certainly caught your attention. If you are uncertain about making the switch to organic foods, you may be looking for reasons why you should. One of the most common questions asked is what are the advantages of consuming organic foods?
- Organic produce contains less pesticides. Chemicals such as fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides are widely used in conventional agriculture and residues remain on (and in) the food we eat. In the United States, before a pesticide can be used on a food crop, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency must determine whether that pesticide can be used without posing a risk to human health.
- Organic food is often fresher since it doesn’t comprise of preservatives that make it last for a longer period. Organic produce is generally produced on smaller farms near where it is sold.
- Organic farming is better for the environment. Organic farming practices reduce pollution, conserve water, reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility as well as uses less energy. Farming without pesticides is also better for nearby birds and animals as well as people who live close to farms.
- Organically raised animals are not given antibiotics, growth hormones, or fed animal byproducts. Feeding livestock animal byproducts increases the risk of mad cow disease (BSE) and the use of antibiotics can create antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. Organically-raised animals are given more space to move around and access to the outdoors, which help to keep them healthy.
- Organic food is GMO-free. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) or genetically engineered (GE) foods are plants whose DNA has been altered in ways that cannot occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding, most commonly in order to be resistant to pesticides or produce an insecticide.
There are strict standards in producing organic foods. Organic food companies that are certified by the Quality Assurance International group (QAI) must undergo rigorous tests and meet very high standards. When this is done, all foods should be stamped with a Certified Organic by QAI sticker or label. This certification helps to give many the comforts in knowing that the foods that they eat are truly healthy.