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Health & Fitness

Food the Organic Way

With all the hype surrounding organic foods, we tend to ask, are they really worth the added cost and effort? Read on for my views on keeping an organic lifestyle.

Is it worth the extra time and money to make the change to organic foods?  It might seem like just another fad that comes and goes like the latest fashion, but there are many reasons why organic food sales have been surging and why you might want to jump on this band wagon and stay there.

  • Organic foods meet stringent standards on handling and growth without chemical and toxic inputs.  You can rest assured that if it is approved as organic by QAI (Quality Assurance International), then the food and manufacturer have been thoroughly tested.
  • There is mounting evidence that organically grown fruits, vegetables and grains may offer more of some nutrients, including vitamin C, iron, magnesium and phosphorus, and less exposure to nitrates and pesticide residues than their counterparts grown using synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.
  • Organic production reduces health risks.  Many EPA-approved pesticides were registered long before extensive research linked these chemicals to cancer and other diseases.  Now, the EPA considers 60% of all herbicides (weed killers), 90% of all fungicides (mold killers), and 30% of all insecticides (insect killers) as potentially cancer causing.  These toxins do not eliminate from the body when ingested; they get stored in body fat indefinitely.  Organic farming keeps harmful chemicals and pesticides out of the food we eat and beverages we drink. 
  • It also prohibits the use of antibiotics in animal feed, which are routinely used in conventional farming and are known to create dangerous antibiotic-resistant pathogens.
  • Well balanced soils grow strong and healthy plants that taste great!  The produce is crisp, fresh and bursting with flavor.
  • Organic food production protects our environment.  The elimination of polluting chemicals and nitrogen leaching, done in combination with soil building, protects and conserves water resources. Organic farming reduces toxic farming runoff and pollutants that contaminate our water, soil and air.

My family and I have been eating mostly all organic foods for several years now...  everything from produce to dairy products to mac-n-cheese to cookies and we are not turning back now!  While the prices are higher, the added health, nutrients, taste and quality is well worth it for my family.  Now, nearly all supermarkets (and even some restaurants) have organic food options.

I have an underlying theory of my own that we are meant to eat “natural foods from the earth.”  With the prevalence of illness, disease, and poor health, eating better quality foods will only benefit our bodies and our environment.  Like anything else that is good for you, some is better than none.  Adding just one organic food or meal to your diet is a great start. 

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For more details about organic food production, go to the Organic Trade Association website where I found most of the information above.

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