Aside from price, the differences between organic and conventional produce are not so evident at first glance. This leads people to ask, “Why make the switch to organic foods?”. As a society we have become out of touch with where our food comes from and the conditions in which it was grown, all of which effect the final quality. Buying and eating organic food not only has benefits for our own health but also the health of the planet and the organic farming industry alike. So, why choose organic foods over conventional? Here are 3 reasons why you might agree that organic food has more to offer:
1. Higher Nutrient and Antioxidant Content. Organic foods have been grown or farmed without the use of artificial chemicals, hormones, antibiotics or genetically modified organisms. Also, in order to be labelled organic, a food product must be free of artificial food additives including artificial sweeteners, preservatives, colouring, flavouring and MSG. All these factors lead to a more nutritious product, and although the evidence is mixed, organically grown crops have been found to contain more of certain vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
2. Lower Chemical Load. Conventional produce is typically treated with pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and insecticides which are either used on or in the genetic makeup of that food (such as in GMO foods) to withstand pests that may destroy the crop. Consuming too many of these foods over time can increase our individual toxic load, which can lead to digestive disturbances, allergies and the development of certain diseases including cancers. Organic farming does not permit the use of such chemicals nor genetically modified species.
3. More Environmentally Sustainable. Organic food production uses growth patterns and systems that allow for multiple generations of foods to be grown in sustainable soil - i.e. soil that will proliferate growth over time by preserving its nutrient and bacterial content. Cover crops, crop rotation and biodiversity are commonplace here. Over time, this allows a farmer to read the land and understand what should be grown instead of forcing the land to produce the same crop over and over, yielding less resistant crops that require more chemicals to survive. Soil availability on our planet has decreased greatly over time and organic farming practices work to preserve what we have for the future of food growth.
By eating foods that haven’t been contaminated through non-organic processes you are choosing to be an advocate for organic farming. You are also making a choice to not overload your body with toxic substances. Your body can then do it’s job of clearing out toxins, and can begin to rebuild and heal. The most noticeable changes reported by those making the switch to organic foods are, better digestion, less cold, flus and allergies, healthier skin and better sleep. This inevitably leads to us living our lives closer to our fullest potential.