Which is better organic food vs ordinary Food is food, right An apple is an apple, regardless of how it was grown.
Or is it
To understand the value in each option you need to understand how each was produced.
Ordinary farming practices have moved away from the family farm. More and more of our food comes from ‘farm factories’, you could say. That is huge industrial type farming operations. This conventional farming allows chemical pesticides and herbicides. Then there are chemical fertilizers or even sewage sludge.
The chemicals get into the soil and onto the food that you then eat. Washing your produce is beneficial and you should always do it. However, what about the contaminants that get into the pulp of the fruit or vegetable It gets in much the same way as the nicotine patch delivers nicotine into your blood stream.
Ordinary methods also permit the the use of genetically engineered plants and seeds. These have had their DNA altered by scientists most often to produce resistance to herbicides. An estimated 70% of processed foods contain ge foods. Without mandatory identification, it is not possible to know the exact figure.
Then there is the option of organic food. To be called organic this food must follow the regulations of the National Organic Program in the US. Each country would have their own standards to be met. However, the basics would be that organics does not permit synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers. Sewage sludge isn’t allowed.
What we see instead is the farmer working with the soil to enhance its quality. Crop rotation and composting are put to use. Consequently, the soil has a rich nutrient content which then produces healthy plants.
These farmers do not use ge seeds. Further, the processing of these foods is also regulated. So no irradiation is used. And the acceptable ingredients used in processing are are also limited. Here is a good way to reduce the food additives in your diet by using organic.
Organic food production is more hands on, so you may see a difference in price. A difference of pennies to up to 40% depending on the season. You can save money by buying what is in season. Another way to save is by limiting the amount of processed food you buy. What you prepare with fresh ingredients provides you with the most benefits. And by making the fresh ingredients organic, you also get the value of these healthy plants.
Tags: chemical fertilizers, conventional farming, national organic program, plants and seeds, sewage sludge