In our hurried lives nowadays, we tend to overlook one vital aspect, which is nutrition; we forget that the key to our well-being is to eat good and healthy. Generally, we should choose our foods free of pesticides and toxic chemicals, which are the main reason of many serious health problems.
People choose “organic food” because it is pure, safe, more nutritious, and free of chemical additives. Organic crops are grown without chemical pesticides or fertilizers; organic livestock are raised without antibiotics, growth hormones or other drugs. Organic food is not genetically modified or irradiated.
Ten Reasons to Choose Organic Foods
1) Chemical Free
Eating organically grown food is your only way to avoid the chemical poison cocktail found in the commercially grown food. Years of research have shown different pesticides to be associated to a variety of health problems, including cancer, hormone disruption, abnormal brain and nervous system development.
2) Better Nutrition
Organically grown food contains more nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and micronutrients, than commercially grown foods because the soil is managed and nourished with sustainable practices and responsible standards.
3) Better Taste
Try it! Organic fruits and vegetables do not have higher levels of flavor-enhancing nutrients, coupled with lower concentrations of water and sugars. Moreover, no artificial food colors or preservatives are added to any organic foods.
4) No Genetically Modified Organisms
Genetically Modified Food (GMF) and Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are contaminating our food supply at an alarming rate, with repercussions beyond understanding. Organically grown foods are free of GMOs.
5) Animal Products Free of Hormones, Antibiotics, and Drugs
Nowadays, most farmers use a combination of growth hormones, drugs, food supplements, and high-grain diets to push their animals to grow faster and produce more milk and eggs per day. While organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products are from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones.
6) Greater Antioxidant Value
Antioxidants are important nutrients found in fresh fruits and vegetables; they have multiple health benefits, including the prevention of many types of cancer. Recent studies show that organic food has more antioxidants and lower levels of toxic metals and pesticides compared to regular food.
7) Animal Welfare
Animal welfare is an important aspect of producing organic milk, meat, poultry, and fish. People are content when they eat organic animal products knowing that the animals are not confined to a miserable caged life.
8) Preserving Ecosystems
Preservation of soil and crop rotation keep farmland healthy, and chemical abstinence preserves the ecosystem. Wildlife, insects, frogs, birds, and soil organisms are able to play their roles in the tapestry of ecology, and we are able to play ours without interference or compromise.
9) Reducing Pollution
Agricultural chemicals, pesticides, and fertilizers are contaminating our environment, poisoning our precious water supplies, and destroying the value of fertile farmland. Certified organic standards do not permit the use of toxic chemicals in farming and require responsible management of healthy soil and biodiversity.
10) Protecting Future Generations
Studies show that infants are exposed to hundreds of harmful chemicals in utero. In fact, numerous studies show that pesticides can adversely affect the nervous system, increase the risk of cancer, and decrease fertility.
Go organic, save your health and save your environment.
References
organic.org
nal.usda.gov
ifoam.bio
organic-center.org
prevention.com
healthyeating.sfgate.com
sustainablebabysteps.com