July 13, 2011

All About the Nutritional Benefits of Organic Food

Organic food is certainly nothing new and has been around for thousands of years, however recently more people have been taking an interest in it and the word organic has turned into a big buzzword. Since organic produce usually costs more than the non-organic varieties, the question is: is it definitely better for our health and should we be paying more money for organic food?

The term organic identifies something that has not been chemically modified or had chemicals used to enhance growth and longevity. For instance, organic crops have always been produced without the use of pesticides, ionizing radiation, synthetic fertilizers, GM (Genetically Modified) organisms or sludge from sewers. Organic meat, dairy and eggs possess zero growth hormones or antibiotics added to encourage production or growth.

The procedure for growing commercial organic food is not an easy one as a total of 3 years need to elapse before produce can be termed “organic” A couple of years need to pass to build up the soils natural nutrients so all chemicals are out of the soil when the organic food is grown. A large amount of hard work and time goes into organic food production, hence its no surprise that it’s more expensive. The thing is, the question still has to be asked; is this all necessary? Is organic produce really going to make a considerable improvement to my health?

Many individuals appreciate that organic food boasts a more significant nutritional value then regular food. Milk from cows that were organically bred contained, on average, 50% more Vitamin E, 70% more Beta Carotene, 2 times as many antioxidants and more Omega-3 than dairy milk produced in the conventional way. Choosing to use organic food will also be good for your general health and well being as it contains no chemicals such as insecticides and other harmful substances. Anytime toxins are added to food, it also increases the number of cancer causing substances, which will be prevented by using organic food. Many have said that organic food also has a better taste but that’s typically just a personal preference.

If you make a decision to use organic foods, the good news is that it’s also good for the eco-system. Pesticides and insecticides have been proven to have a big effect on the world ecosystem and as organic food contains neither of these its better for the ecosystem. This will all help with a decreased degree of pollution during food production and therefore will not have an adverse effect on global warming. Organic food additionally influences the way animals are handled, as free range chickens are able to roam free and eat when they like whereas many normal chickens are subject to abuse, such as being crammed in cages with lots of other chickens and force fed food to fatten them up.

Organic foods are ideal for the environment, your health and also make certain that the animals on the farms are treated well and not abused. As with anything that’s good for you, organic food has its downsides, which is of course the price, so its up to you to determine whether or not you’ll benefit from spending more for organic food.

Start eating right and protect yourself and your family and put money back in your Pocket… grow your own vegetables! Then go here to see just how easy it is to get started on a healthy eating plan.

Filed under Health by Caril Stewart

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