Why You Should Eat Organic Food
Organic food. Most people hear that they are good for you but may not be sure exactly why. For those who don’t know about the advantages of eating organic, here are a few reasons why eating organic is such a good idea.
- Organic foods are more nutritious.
Many different studies have been made comparing the nutritional value of organic foods, such as grains, vegetables and fruits, with non-organic food, and these studies have shown that organic foods have greater amounts of nutrients than the non-organic.
The studies revealed that, on average, organic foods have 20 percent more iron, 30 percent more magnesium, 27 percent more vitamin C, and 14 percent more phosphorus than their non-organic counterparts.
- You won’t be ingesting chemicals.
The government has approved more than 600 different chemicals for use on farms in the United States. The amount of chemicals used works out to about 16 pounds per person annually. However, for 90 percent of these chemicals, we do not know the health effects from long-term use. Moreover, only about one percent of all foods are tested for pesticide residue, so we have little knowledge of the amount of chemicals on the food.
- Growing organically helps protect the environment.
The chemicals that farmers use in their pesticides often end up in the water, creating health and environmental issues. Organic farmers, however, cannot use any toxic chemicals.
Moreover, scientists have determined that only about one-tenth of one percent of the pesticides used actually make it to the insects the chemicals are designed to kill. So about 99 percent of pesticides simply contaminate the air, water and soil.
- Organic foods contain no GMOs (genetically modified organisms).
Many crops today, especially ones such as corn, are GMOs. These grains are genetically modified for a number of different reasons, including higher yield and greater resistance to disease. But there is no requirement that GMOs are labeled as such.
But, in order for a food to be labeled organic, it cannot be a GMO. Organic foods cannot be genetically modified at all.
- With organic animal products, you avoid eating any antibiotics and growth hormones.
Meat and dairy producers in the United States give millions of pounds of antibiotics to their cattle each year. They also give growth hormones to the cattle. These hormones are passed along to consumers when they eat the meat or drink milk from these cows.
Organic meat and dairy products cannot contain any antibiotics or growth hormones.
