“Organic Food” is the result of production methods that strictly forbid or limit modern synthetic inputs. The growth of this kind of food in a chemical-free environment has made a large scale of people believe that it outweighs conventional food in terms of health. Also, people concerned with the humane treatment of animals and environment safeguarding buoy up the sales of organic food.
Why Is Organic Food Costlier Than Conventional Food?
Conventional farmers are supported by Subsidies. The use of genetically engineered seeds and other chemical-based fertilizers, pesticides, etc. is encouraged in the cultivation of conventional food. So, these farmers receive benefits with heaps of marketing support and crop insurance, owing to which the gross price of the produce is kept within affordable limits.
Whereas, Organic farmers solely put in natural commodities for the cultivation of their crops, thus creating an elevation in the price of organic products.
Organic products typically cost 10-40% more than their conventional counterparts, thereby failing to attract low-income families..
How Organic Food Differs From Conventional Food.
As there is a large variation in the cultivation methods of organic and conventional food, there also exist differences in the quality and quantity of the two.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has established specific requirements that need to be verified by a licensed third party certifying agent before ANY PRODUCT CAN BE LABELLED “ORGANIC”.
The aspects in which organic foods differ from conventional foods are:
· Nutritional value. A 2008 survey of the scientific literature, had concluded, based on their analysis that the nutritional content, although minute in some cases, is higher in organic products than in conventional. Phosphorous and total phenols, along with omega 3 fatty acids and vaccenic acid content in organic raw milk and chicken had outrun that of its conventional analog. Also, organic food had emerged as the winner when the ascorbic acid, protein, and micronutrient concentrations of the two were compared.
· Anti-nutrient. USDA has noted that organic food had contained a significantly lesser amount of heavy metals like cadmium than conventionally grown food. Also, the nitrogen content in plants, mainly tubers, and leafy veggies was comparatively higher in conventional food.
· Pesticide residues. The 2012 meta-analysis had stated that organic food contained 80% lesser detectable pesticide residues than conventional produce. Though washing might be an effective practice to get rid of pesticide residue, it doesn’t always work in all cases, leaving people susceptible to pesticide intake.
· Anti-biotics and Growth hormones. Conventionally grown food usually is exposed to antibiotics and artificial growth hormones like rBGH; whereas organic farmers only use techniques like rotational grazing, mulch, etc. to catalyze growth.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Organic Food?
Organic food not only encourages friendly animal treatment and isn’t harsh on the environment, but also has amplified ups in the field of human healthcare. This is how organic food helps in boosting up your health.
· Higher Antioxidants. Antioxidants are important components that are found in abundance in fresh fruits and vegetables. They are known to impart multiple health benefits, including the prevention of cancer. A 2012 study of the “Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture” had reported that compared to conventional food, organic food had shown higher concentrations of antioxidants including Vitamin C.
· Pesticide Reduction. A lot of developmental problems like autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are precipitated by the use of pesticides in conventional food containing a highly potent chemical ingredient called “ORGANOPHOSPHOROUS”.
“HIGHLY POTENT” in two ways-
–Causing health problems.
-Killing pests.
So, although these sophisticated manufactured products satisfy the purpose of pest-erasure, they also trigger health issues.
Whereas, organic food is only treated with natural pesticides that are free of these toxins. This, again, is a plus point for choosing organic to conventional.
· Heart Health. Grazing time is directly proportionate to the amount of Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) that can be found in animal products. As the organic versions enjoy the provision of increased grazing time, they also possess more amount of CLA when compared to conventional products. Now, CLA is one beneficial component that you will find in the milk and meat of organic animals. It is a heart-healthy fatty acid and can boost cardiovascular protection.
· Antibiotic Resistance. Non-Organic Food sources inject livestock with antibiotics, the residues of which remain in the products we use. They just don’t go through our entire system without affecting the natural body balance. The antibiotics found in conventional food have been found to cause changes in the immune systems of sapiens, thus causing diminishing defense mechanisms. On the other hand, organic food growers do not adopt such methods, thereby saving man from this kind of disruption.
As it is clearly evident that in terms of good health, organic products out beat conventional products, it would be a terrific idea for the world to switch to organic brands and online stores, such as Nutrition, which is a collection of reasonably-priced, high-quality Organic Products.
Why Are Organic Products Worth The Increased Price?
Are organic products worth the increased rates?
Taking all the health benefits of organic food into consideration, the answer to that would be an undoubted yes; although the fact still exists that organic products should be made more affordable owing to their low-health risks and other health advantages.
So despite the fact that conventional foods succeed in attracting customers, people should also be made aware that they might just be required to spend double the amount on meeting hospital charges to battle it out with the side-effects. So why create that entire circle of vanity, instead of just fixing the problem at the root?
So, weighing all facts, I’d say that yes, organic products are worth the increased price as they lead to increased health and a lower environmental footprint.