You are in the supermarket and torn between these non-organic and organic labeled products. Both are looking fresh and great, however, organic products would cost you much higher than non-organic foods. Which would you buy?
In reference to the guidelines of United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), when we say organic foods, it pertains to any 100%
organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals given no growth hormones, and to all plants and vegetables produced without using synthetic chemicals such as pesticides, and fertilizers made with ionizing radiation or bioengineering.
Top Foods To Eat Organic
1) Brown Rice - Rice are usually the host for many pests like rice blast, crayfish and even rice water weevil. Up to 40 pesticides are used to kill these pests. If you are eating non-organic brown rice, the brown rice would contain more pesticides than white rice as for white rice, the husk , bran layer and germ are removed whereas only the husk are removed for brown rice.
2) Leafy Greens – There are more than 51 potent pesticides in the non-organic leafy greens. Greens such as celery, spinach and kale are some of the contaiminated veggies. Get the organic veggies to consuming the deadly pesticides.
3) Strawberries – Strawberries are one of the most contaiminated fruits that are usually detected with 59 residue pesticides like methyl bromide to eradicate fungus, weeds, and pests.
Read more about the rest of the
top 10 contaminated foods.
Organic Food Certification Process
Under USDA organic food standards, inspections on the soil, water and plant tissues would be required in order to approve the farm or the food as organic.
Below is a simple diagram on the organic farm certification inspection.
Organic food production is heavily regulated industry and requires producers to meet certain special certification, for them to market their organic product. This means that all products must be manufactured in a way that adheres to the guidelines and high standards set by country they will market. How about products made with organic ingredients? Yes, it is still considered organic, provided that these claimed organic products consist of 70% organic ingredients, except for added water and salt. Take note that it should not contain added sulfites, the rest of 30% can be non-organically produced.
Therefore we conclude that the organic production is food which is non-chemically treated, minimally processed, and fresh. People who do not want to put all the chemicals in their body must purchase organic foods which are indicated in the product label.
Benefits Of Eating Organic Food
- Advocates of organic foods claim that it contain more nutrition like 27% more vitamin C, 21.1 % more iron, 29.3% more magnesium, 13.6% more phosphorus, and higher protein. Evidence shows that animals grown with organic feeds are much healthier than those animals grown and fed with conventional feeds, same thing with organic grown vegetable and fruit crops with no synthetic chemicals.
- Moreover, In Danish research published in 2003, a study showed that organic products contain more flavonoids, a well-known antioxidant defense against any diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
- The chemical effects of non-organic foods, especially on children, become so alarming, as published in September 2005 issue of Environmental Health Perspectives. The harmful pesticides known as malathion and chlorpyrifos are widely used in agriculture and said to be damaging to neurological development of children. Several researches, using urine samples of children, are conducted to prove the negative effect of these chemicals to them. Parents should be more aware of this fact and take necessary actions to prevent any heath problems that their children might get from non-organic foods.
- What is even more remarkable is that sustainable organic farming is not only beneficial to us, and to animals and crops, but rather, much more to our environment. An earth friendly method in farming employing nature friendly practices keep chemical off the farming land to protect wild life and water quality with the intention to integrate mechanical, biological, and cultural practices for ecological balance.
- When we eat more organic food, we are essentially consuming more vegetables and green foods. By eating more vegetables, the pH of our blood would be more alkaline and our body would function at an optimal condition. The Standard American Diet that most people are eating are way too acidic which leads to our body more susceptible to cancer and illnesses. You can click here to find out more about the Alkaline Diet.
- When we are eating organic food, we are saving our Earth from further environmental damage. The amount of pesticides farmers use are astronomical and these chemicals will affect our land as well as the water. When the chemicals are sprayed over a period of time, the soil and the land would be severely damaged to the extent that we are no longer able to grow any produce. In the long run, the land would turn into desert.
IMPORTANT BUYING TIPS: Read food labels very carefully. Take note also of products high in calories, sugar, salt and fats. Check if the products passed the standard of agricultural and food authority.
Consumers may add a little to their budget because the cost is much higher than the usual non-organic products, due to expensive farm practices by not using any harmful synthetic chemicals in farming. But rest assured that your health is much safer with organic products. I only take note of this fact for one reason: your wellbeing is highly important than anything else in this world
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