Why Are Organic Foods Best?

Doctors and dieticians can explain how your body requires a variety of foods in order to get all the necessary nutrients for a healthy life. When you begin searching for whole foods in your grocery store you may notice that some foods are named “organic.”  What is the difference and why are organic foods best?

Organic foods are grown without the use of potentially harmful chemicals. Rather than depending upon fertilizers to help foods grow, farmers growing organic foods allow ‘Mother Nature’ to provide for the plant’s needs. These farmers won’t spray chemicals to control weeds but will use other methods such as mulch, manure and crop rotation to keep weeds down. Compost and manure are used to add nutrients to the soil so chemical fertilizers aren’t required. Conventional farmers will use insecticides to keep pests away from their crops and help fight disease. Organic farmers will use beneficial insects, traps and mating disruption to reduce possible diseases and pests from their gardens.

Farmers supplying organically grown meats will stay away from giving antibiotics and medications to their animals to prevent disease. They also won’t give them growth hormones to encourage quicker growth. They will feed their animals organically grown feeds and allow them to roam free as much as possible. They are also very determined to keep their disease at bay by rotating their animal’s grazing, providing the best possible diet and keeping their stalls or housing as clean as possible.

Another thing to consider when going grocery shopping for your family is that farmers providing organically grown fruits, vegetables and meats must adhere to very strict government standards. The government will dictate how these foods can be grown, how they are handled and how they are processed before they are given the USDA Organic label.

Organic foods with only one ingredient such as vegetables, fruits and eggs, can be labeled as 100 percent organic. Foods with an “organic” label must be made with at least 95 percent organic ingredients no matter if there are two or ten ingredients. Foods labeled “made with organic ingredients” are those which have less than 70 percent organic ingredients. They cannot use the USDA Organic label if they fall in the last category.

Are organic foods more nutritious than traditionally grown foods? The answer to that question depends on who you ask. Organic farmers will tell you their food tastes better and is better for you. Scientific research, on the other hand, will probably tell you there really isn’t that much difference between the two. You’ll want to give organic foods a try and make the decision for yourself as to whether they’re better or not.

Some other things to consider when being faced with choosing between organic and traditionally grown foods is that organic foods do not use pesticides which could be harmful to your family if not properly cleaned from the foods prior to eating them. Organic foods also don’t have the additives that are commonly used such as artificial flavorings, colorings, sweeteners and monosodium glutamate (MSG) that many people have allergic reactions to.

Choosing organic foods to serve your family can also have an impact on the environment. Because organic farmers aren’t using the same chemicals as traditional farmers, they are not polluting the soil or water. In fact, organic farming actually benefits the environment in ways you may not imagine.

Next time we will discuss “Why are Organic Foods So Expensive?”

The above is extracted from a report, “Eat Whole Foods - For the Health of It” and offers the following disclaimer: This report is written for entertainment purposes only. The author is not, nor does she claim to be, an expert in nutrition or health. The report is written in an attempt to share knowledge based upon what was learned during research and by incorporating some of the information contained in it with her family. It is by no means intended for medical advice nor should it be followed as such.