IS ORGANIC BETTER FOOD?

Organic Better than Non Organic?

A new study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that organic crops have higher concentrations of antioxidants, lower levels of cadmium and nitrates and fewer pesticide residues than non-organic crops. The study, by an international team led by Britain’s Newcastle University, analyzed an unprecedented 343 peer-reviewed research papers documenting the nutritional benefits of organic grains, fruits and vegetables. It is the most extensive largest analysis of its kind.

Organic is often a challenge with some popular questions:

  1. Is Organic worth it or even any better?
  2. Organic doesn’t mean everything we hope it does
  3. Should I only buy Organic

 

Let’s explore some of these

1. Is organic worth it or even any better?

Yes according to this referenced study organic food not only has higher nutritional levels but less toxins, so for those looking for better health, there is no longer any doubt.

2. Organic doesn’t mean everything we hope it does

Most of us have these pictures in our head of local farmers out in their fields growing and harvesting your Organic food with love and care. Food free of all chemicals, grown in beautiful soils, picked when ripe and sold within days. Unfortunately, most of the organic labelled food you are buying from corporations like grocery stores, Costco, Walmart, etc. are only applying to the minimum levels to be called Organic which from my understanding is two basic principles

  1. Food less than 5% GMO can be labelled as GMO-free
  2. Restrict the use of any herbicides, pesticides or fungicides.

Organic certification only applies to the practices of the farm and not the food itself, nowhere in the standards does the farmer even have to provide a sample of his crop for testing. What this means is many factors are left out things like:

  1. Mineral rich soils
  2. Waiting until the food is ripe
  3. Natural fertilizers
  4. Love and intention behind the food

 

3. Should I only buy Organic food?

If you produced beautiful food in your backyard which met every criteria you could hope for, would you eat it? I would hope so! But it would not be labelled as organic? What about your local farmers around your area that are growing their crops traditionally without GMO’s & Chemical based sprays. They will never likely be certified as Organic yet they are exceeding the criteria to be organic. Remember that your major corporations are barely meeting the minimum standards.

Conclusion

Organic labelling is a good thing, it helps us find better food in supermarkets and through larger corporations, but It does not mean organic is the only source of good food, visit farmers markets, talk to the farmers, find out how they grow their food as you will probably find better quality & fresher food than organic labelled foods in your supermarket.