You're trying to eat healthy, and you know that means choosing plenty of fruits, vegetables,
whole grains, and lean protein.
But as you wander the aisles of your local market you realize there's another choice
to make: Organic!
Hi viewers and welcome back to Bestie!
Organic food is usually safer, possibly more nutritious, and often better tasting than
non-organic food.
Its production is usually better for the environment and kinder to animals.
And more and more shoppers seem convinced.
Even though organic food typically costs more --sometimes a lot more -- sales are steadily
increasing.
And in today’s video, we will tell you everything you’ve ever wanted to know about organic
foods.
From what it is to its advantages and disadvantages, watch till the end to learn about all of them.
Let’s begin by explaining what exactly organic food is.
Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation
of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations.
Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics
or growth hormones.
Organic food is produced without the use of artificial fertilisers, chemicals, pesticides,
growth regulators and livestock feed additives.
For this reason, it is likely to contain lower residues of agricultural chemicals than conventionally
farmed food.
But due to general environmental pollution these products cannot be completely free of
residues.
Organic farming makes use of traditional methods, such as crop rotation and composting.
It also recycles farm produced materials such as animal manure, hand weeding, environmentally
friendly biological pest control, homeopathic remedies and free range animal rearing.
The primary goal of organic farming is to take care of the ecosystem.
It is important to realize that the production of organic foods requires the same good manufacturing
and production practices, compositional standards, labelling and regard for food safety as the
rest of the food industry, including conventional farming.
Before a product can be labeled "organic," a Government-approved certifier inspects the
farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary
to meet USDA organic standards.
Companies that handle organic food must be certified, too.
Moving on, let’s tell you some advantages:
Good For Your Health: There have been multiple studies done to determine if organic food
is healthier for you and the answer is YES.
You are not eating any harmful substances like pesticides, synthetic hormones, artificial
colors and preservatives.
It has also been found to have 69% higher levels of antioxidants in fruits and vegetables,
50% higher levels of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids in meat and dairy and 48% lower
levels of the toxic metal cadmium.
The worst part is that conventional crops contain 4 times more pesticide residue than
organic.
What are your favourite organic foods?
Tell us quickly down below in the comments section!
Better Taste: Although there are studies which suggest that non-organic foods taste the same
as organic, there can also be a clear difference in the flavor profile of some food products.
Fruits and vegetables grown through this process tend to benefit from this advantage the most.
Because this produce grows slowly when compared to cash-crop growing methods, it tends to
have lower water content.
This structure contributes to the fuller flavor profile that some people experience.
Supports Local Economy: Because organic foods do not travel as well, most stores stock items
that are grown locally for their consumers to enjoy.
That means your purchase of these fruits and vegetables will help the local economy reinvest
the profits.
Roughly 70% of what you spend on items grown in your community gets put back into the area
in some way.
That means you can promote more jobs and a better living profile when you incorporate
this habit into your regular routine.
Safer to eat: When you eat conventional food items, there is an excellent chance that you
are exposing your body to various synthetic chemicals.
These additives to the food supply have been linked to infertility issues, numerous cancers,
Parkinson’s disease, endocrine disorders, and autoimmune problems.
Herbicide consumption can lead to heart disease development and hypertension as well.
Removing these items from your diet can allow your body an opportunity to heal.
No GMO’s: Eating organic is the best way to avoid GMOs, ingredients and contamination.
The use of genetically modified organisms is prohibited in organic products.
This means an organic farmer can’t plant GMO seeds, an organic cow can’t eat GMO
alfalfa or corn, and an organic soup producer can’t use any GMO ingredients.
To meet the USDA organic regulations, farmers and processors must show they aren’t using
GMOs, and that they are protecting their products from contact with prohibited substances, such
as GMOs, from farm to table.
Have I caught your interest?
Well then hit that “subscribe” button to watch more videos.
Join our millions of followers for more amazing Bestie content!
Better Soil: Organic farming creates healthy soil which creates healthy food and a healthy
environment.
Healthy soil is the basis for organic agriculture.
Organic farmers use natural organic fertilizers and soil amendments like green manures and
animal manures to build healthy soil.
When food is grown in healthy soil, crops are better able to resist disease, survive
drought, and tolerate insects.
No Antibiotic Resistance: The conventional food chain cycle also requires animal antibiotic
consumption to prevent disease or death from reducing the profit margin.
During the butchering cycle these drugs live in the animal’s body until they hit your
plate.
When you eat enough of them, your body will start developing a resistance to the drug.
The bacteria which can cause troubling infections may also establish immunity to it.
It’s fresher: Organic produce is purchased fresh from farmers.
At the supermarket, on the other hand, we don’t know how long the produce has been
stored before it has been put on the shelves, nor for how long it is out on the floor.
Produce from overseas may also have been travelling for a long time before it has even arrived
in the country, let alone made it to the supermarket.
How fresh can it be?
Better For The Environment: By choosing organic you are supporting seasonal produce which
puts less pressure on our environment.
It is easy to grow the natural way.
By purchasing organic, we also ensure that no chemicals are being put into our air, water
or soil.
If we want to preserve our world for future generations, we need to make changes now to
ensure its longevity.
Getting clean air inside your house is easier than you think.
All you need are a few good plants.
Learn more about the best plants by watching “15 Best Indoor Plants To Get Rid Of Toxins
and Chemicals”
Now back to Everything You Wanted To Know About Organic Foods
Ok, now the disadvantages of Organic Food:
Costlier To Grow: One of the largest disadvantages of organic farming is the high costs.
There is no use of pesticides so the crops are far more vulnerable to pests and other
diseases.
The farming can be a lot more labour intensive as a lot is done by hand.
These costs are passed on to the customer making organic food more expensive than conventionally
produced fruits and vegetables.
This can sometimes be up to 40% more.
In order to be certified as organic, farms need to be accredited by the USDA.
For organic farms, that means that they need to hire an organic certifying agent to verify
that the farming methods meet the current organic standards that have been authorised.
These costs of the initial authorization can be up to $1,500 and there are also annual
certification fees that must be paid.
The latter is based on the total organic production value of the farm, which means some farmers
may pay these $1,500 fees every year.
Local growing systems: The quality of the organic crop depends heavily on the skills,
knowledge, and wisdom of the farmer.
In organic farming, the farmer must monitor crop growth patterns during every stage of
crop growth.
If a farmer is unable to recognize a problem the value may be reduced or the amount of
harvest might be affected.
In extreme circumstances, the entire crop might be lost.
The type of soil differs heavily per state and sometimes even per region.
So, the farmers must also have local knowledge about soil systems, ecology, meteorology,
and other influential factors.
Shorter shelf life: Conventional foods are treated with preservatives and waxes to maintain
their freshness during the shipping process.
Often cling film is used to extend the shelf life even further.
Organic foods can’t receive these treatments.
This means organic fruits and vegetables will spoil faster than conventional ones.
If product arrivals are delayed or mistreated for some reason, then an entire shipment of
crops might never reach the consumer.
May Be Confusing: There are different types of labeling provided for the organic industry
in the U.S. thanks to the Department of Agriculture.
If something is 100% organic, then every ingredient in the product is organic – except for the
salt and the water.
If you find something with the generic “organic” label, then it means that 95% of the product
comes from organic origins.
Some products say, “made with organic ingredients.”
The USDA requires that 70% of the ingredients in that item come from an organic source.
Organic or not, vegetables are still one of the healthiest foods that you should eat everyday.
Learn more about the vegetables for you by watching:
12 SUPER Vegetables You Should Eat That Pack Some Serious Power
Or
11 High Protein Vegetables You Need To Eat
So go ahead and watch one or both of these videos for maximum benefits.
Would you spend extra money on organic foods?
Let us know in the comments section below!