In today’s world, we hear about organic
versus conventional food all of the time and often wonder just what the
benefits of organic foods are? About a year ago, redOrbit published an article
explaining that organic foods have no more nutritional value than
conventional foods. That is to say, the nutrients, vitamins, and
minerals found in organic foods equaled those found in non-organic
foods. So an orange grown organically has about the same amount of
vitamin C as an orange grown conventionally has. However, there are
other benefits of organic foods than just what nutrients we get from
them.
First of all, what is the difference between organic and conventional foods? According to the Mayo Clinic, some of the key differences between organic and conventional foods are:
- Chemical fertilizers have been used on most conventional foods to
promote plant growth, while organics use only natural fertilizers like
manure or compost.
- Conventional foods are sprayed with synthetic insecticides, but
organic foods use natural methods including beneficial insects and
birds, mating disruption or traps.
- Conventional produce uses herbicides to manage weeds while organics
use environmentally-generated plant killing compounds, crop rotation,
tilling, hand weeding or mulch to control weeds.
- Conventional livestock receive antibiotics, growth hormones and
medications to prevent disease and spur growth, but organics receive
organic feed and access to the outdoors while using preventable measures
to help minimize disease.
Both methods end up with a product to sell and eat, but organics do
so using what is in nature as opposed to chemicals and medicines like
conventional. As redOrbit showed, the nutritional value—as in what
nutrients we gain—of each is about equal, but there are other benefits
of organic food.
Helpguide.org, in collaboration with Harvard Health Publications, explains several of these benefits.
- Organic produce contains fewer pesticides. Pesticides are chemicals
such as fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides. These chemicals are
widely used in conventional agriculture and residues remain on (and in)
the food we eat.
- Organic food is often fresher. Fresh food tastes better. Organic
food is usually fresher when eaten because it doesn’t contain
preservatives that make it last longer. Organic produce is often (but
not always) produced on smaller farms near where it is sold.
- Organic farming is better for the environment. Organic farming
practices reduce pollution (air, water and soil), conserve water, reduce
soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and use less energy. In
addition, organic farming is better for birds and small animals as
chemical pesticides can make it harder for creatures to reproduce and
can even kill them. Farming without pesticides is also safer for the
workers who harvest our food.
- Organically raised animals are NOT given antibiotics, growth
hormones, or fed animal byproducts. The use of antibiotics in
conventional meat production helps create antibiotic-resistant strains
of bacteria. This means that when someone gets sick from these strains
they will be less responsive to antibiotic treatment. Not feeding animal
byproducts to other animals reduces the risk of mad cow disease (BSE).
In addition, the animals are given more space to move around and access
to the outdoors, both of which help to keep the animals healthy. The
more crowded the conditions, the more likely an animal is to get sick.
In closing, when it comes to organic food, it’s often more about what
they don’t have than what they do have. Although the benefits of
organic food may or may not include higher amounts of vitamins and
minerals, they do provide a food product with less toxins and promote
fresher foods.
Each of the benefits discussed above help make a case for eating
organic. However, conventional foods have their own set of benefits, the
foremost of which is simply that they are more affordable. Whether one
chooses conventional foods or organic foods, it is important to know the
difference and understand what it is we are eating. If we are going to
be healthy eaters, we must also be informed eaters. We should know the
benefits of organic foods.
Source: Rayshell Clapper for redOrbit.com - Your Universe Online
