I never cared about organic until a few weeks ago when I was evaluating my diet and thinking about all the potential pesticides I was ingesting.
Defining Organic
What is the definition of organic food? In a nutshell it is food "produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation." - USDA (http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/ofp/ofp.shtml)
An interesting point to note is that until the 20th century all food produced was considered organic (as no chemicals or pesticides were widely used).
What happened?
As the number of farmers and farming families reduced in number, the demand increased for produce and other staples. Consequently, factory farming started in the 1940's. Companies saw a need to produce high yields and reduce the number of pests and insects corrupting the growth of fruits and vegetables. Long story short, a company named Monsanto (creator of Round-Up) started genetically modifying the structure of seeds to withstand it's herbicide - Round Up. Pesticides started being sprayed on crops to kill insects.
Farmers began planting these seeds and saw that the plants withstood the herbicide and began using these seeds. Today, it is estimated that Monsanto owns 90% of all genetically modified plants.
I still don't get it. What's your point?
OK, simply put which would you rather eat?
- A bowl of strawberries grown in your local farmer's backyard without the use of any chemicals OR
- A bowl of strawberries grown in some factory farm sprayed with Round-Up or other chemicals/pesticides. Further, the genes of the structure also contain some chemical to prevent being destroyed by Round-Up
Don't like strawberries? Fine, substitute any produce or grain in the above choices and evaluate.
I don't know about you, but I certainly wouldn't want to ingest a bunch of chemicals.
But why does organic cost so much? Can I cut some corners?
First off, we the U.S. Taxpayer subsidize mass farming and the price we pay for at the grocery store for conventional items seems cheaper because we're already paying the cost in the form of taxes.
Organic costs more because it requires the USDA to inspect each farm and item being produced. Further, the demand for organic foods is higher than the number of small farms and businesses that yield organic items.
If you think it costs too much for your budget to go completely organic, then at least make sure you buy these items organic (http://gourmetfood.about.com/od/slowfoodorganiclocal/a/organicproduce_2.htm):
- Nectarines, Celery, Pears, Peaches, Apples, Cherries, Strawberries, Imported Grapes, Spinach, Potatoes, Bell Peppers, and Raspberries.
These fruits/vegetables can be conventional (http://gourmetfood.about.com/od/slowfoodorganiclocal/a/organicproduce_3.htm):
- Asparagus, Avocados, Bananas, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Corn (However, almost all corn is genetically modified), Kiwi, Mangoes, Onions, Papaya, Pineapples, and Sweet Peas
Also, consider purchasing organic dairy products as these ensure safe and humane farming practices are used and no pesticides or hormones are used in your next cup of milk or yogurt.
Finally, if you can afford it, consider purchasing items with the "USDA Organic" label for all your purchases including: peanut butter, juice, crackers, cereal, bread, etc.
Finally, if you can afford it, consider purchasing items with the "USDA Organic" label for all your purchases including: peanut butter, juice, crackers, cereal, bread, etc.
If you can't buy organic at all, go to your local Farmer's market - local produce should be grown with minimal pesticides vs. larger corporation farming.
What are the benefits? I'm shelling out my entire paycheck for this stuff...
Haha, that's what I thought too. It IS expensive, but it's totally worth it! Here are some benefits:
- Organic products have higher nutrition (http://www.organicfacts.net/organic-food/organic-food-basics/health-benefits-of-organic-food.html)
- It leads to better health
- Safer for the environment and the animals
Please be sure to check out the articles listed in the "Further Reading" section for more details!
Remember, it's about YOUR health! You have the right to eat clean, nutritious food free and clear of pesticides and other chemicals.
If you have ANY questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Thanks for reading and happy eating!
- Asif Fasih
Further Reading
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