The Pros and Cons of Eating Organic Food
The interest and hype surrounding organic foods seems to be growing by leaps and bounds. In the last thirty years, total organic food sales have gone from about $175 million to over $6.5 billion. This type of food is largely touted as being much healthier, and overall safer for you than foods that are not certified organic.
In order for food to be labeled as organic, it must be grown and processed without the use of any pesticides, without the use of any herbicides, without the use of any fungicides, without the use of any artificial or man-made fertilizers, and without the use of any genetic engineering processes. These foods must also not be exposed to any preservatives, radiation, antibiotics, or any other forms of chemicals. In other words, the food must be as natural as possible. So, is organic food truly that much better for you? Below are the pros and cons of organic food.
Pros:
- The food is pure, fresh, and in its most natural state.
- There are no harmful chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides used, so food and handling is safe for you and the farmer.
- Foods that are organic claim to be more nutrient rich and contain higher levels of anti-oxidants and other vitamins and minerals.
- Organic meats, cheeses, eggs, and dairy products are supposed to be completely free range and void of antibiotics and added hormones.
- Organic farming practices are gentler on the earth.
- There is less soil contamination allowing for less pollution and harm to groundwater and animals.
Cons:
- Organic foods tend to be quite expensive and on average cost almost sixty percent more for produce and almost one hundred percent more for meat and dairy products.
- Recent studies have found that nutrient levels in organic produce equaled that of non-organic produce.
- Another recent study found that organic produce still contained pesticide residue although it did contain less than non-organic items. The study found that twenty-five percent of organic produce had at least trace amounts of pesticides, while seventy-seven percent of non-organic produce had the same levels of pesticides.
If you do decide to try an all organic diet, do a bit of homework and really check labels and packaging. Make sure the foods you purchase are certified organic, and still be sure to wash all fruits and vegetables. Even though a product has been marked as organic, it is not uncommon for pesticides to drift from neighboring farms, or cross contaminate during shipping.
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