SAY HELLO TO ORGANIC FOODS

         ORGANIC FOODS

In this blog we will tell you why you should choose Organic food over others. Choosing organic food will reduce health risks and will help your body stay healthy and fit. If any food is produced without any use of artificial chemicals, hormones, antibiotics or genetically modified organisms(GMO) it is called as Organic food. Organic food is produced  by methods complying with the standards of organic farming.  

The word Organic refers to how farmers grow and process agricultural foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products and meat. Organic farming practices are designed to meet certain goals like enhancing soil and water quality, reducing pollution, providing safe and healthy livestock habitats, enabling natural livestock behavior and many others.

WHY SHOULD WE PICK ORGANIC FOOD OVER OTHERS

Organic food is usually grown using natural fertilizers like manure and compost. In organic farming weeds are controlled through natural processes (crop rotation, hand weeding, mulching and tilting) or with organically approved herbicides where as in conventional farming, synthetic and chemical fertilizers are used to grow crops besides chemical herbicides are used to remove weeds as well. In organic farming pests are controlled using natural methods and naturally derived pesticides but in conventional pests are controlled using synthetic fertilizers. Organic food is often fresh because it doesn’t contain any preservatives that makes it last longer(not always).

ORGANIC FOOD AND HEALTH

How your food is grown or raised can have a major impact on your mental and emotional health as well as the environment. Eating organic reduces the amount of chemicals in your diet namely persistent pesticides. It is the best way to avoid GMO foods, ingredients and contamination. No artificial colors, flavors or preservatives are allowed in organic food which is a big benefit of opting organic food and the food grown organically are rich in nutrients such as vitamin C, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus, with less exposure to nitrates and pesticide besides conventionally raised foods and eating organic can reduce the risk of many life-threatening diseases like cancer, Cardio-vascular disease and other.

ORGANIC FOOD: IS IT SAFER OR MORE NUTRITIOUS?

There is a growing body of evidence that shows some potential health benefits of organic foods when compared with conventionally grown foods. Potential benefits include the following Nutrients, toxic metals, pesticide residue.

Studies have shown small to moderate increases in some nutrients in organic produce. The best evidence is of a significant increase is in certain type of flavonoids, which has antioxidant properties. Cadmium is a toxic chemical naturally found in soils and is absorbed by plants, studies have shown significantly lower cadmium levels in organic grains when compared with conventionally grown crops. The lower cadmium levels in organic grains may be related to the ban on synthetic fertilizers.

Compared with conventionally grown produce, organically grown produce has lower detectable levels of pesticide residue. Organic produce may have residue because of pesticides approved for organic farming or because of airborne pesticides from conventional farms.

ARE THERE DOWNSIDES TO BUY ORGANIC FOOD?

One common concern with organic food is cost. Organic foods typically cost more than the conventional food. Higher prices are due to more expensive farming practices also the supply of organic foods is limited.

Another reason organic food costs more is because the production process is more expensive, more labor is required to maintain organic farms than conventional farms. Since organic agricultural practices are often more complicated (and takes longer) than using pesticides to manage crops besides farmers don’t produce enough of a single product to lower the overall cost.

DOES ORGANIC MEAN PESTICIDE-FREE?

One of the primary benefits of eating organic is lower levels of pesticides. However, despite popular belief, organic farms do use pesticides. The difference is that they only use naturally-derived pesticides, rather than the synthetic pesticides used on conventional commercial farms. Natural pesticides are believed to be less toxic and your exposure to harmful pesticides will likely be lower when eating organic.

FOOD SAFETY TIPS

Whether you go totally organic or opt to mix conventional and organic foods, be sure to keep these tips in your mind. Select a variety of foods from a variety of sources. This will give you a better mix of nutrients and reduce your likelihood of exposure to a single pesticide.

Shop around. Compare the price of organic items at the grocery store, the farmers’ market, online, and in other venues. Buy seasonal fruits and vegetables when possible. To get the freshest produce, ask your grocer what is in season or buy food from your local farmers market.

Read food labels carefully. Just because a product says its organic or contains organic ingredients doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a healthier alternative. Some organic products may still be high in sugar, salt, fat or calories.

Wash and scrub fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water. Washing helps to remove dirt, bacteria and traces of chemicals from the surface of fruits and vegetables, but not all pesticides residues can be removed by washing. Discarding outer leaves of leafy vegetables can reduce contaminants, peeling fruits and vegetables can remove contaminants but removes the nutrients as well.

BOTTOM LINE

Organic food is healthy, fresh and is grown using natural pesticides so choosing Organic will surely contribute to your health and lifestyle. If your worried about the price of organic food remember this point that you’re spending it for your health and saving yourself from toxic food. At last choose organic stay healthy and happy.

Blog article by Sushmitha

MSc II year