Why Eat Organic Foods?

What does Organic Food mean?

Why do I recommend Organic Food? First off, let’s take a look at the meanings for “organic food.” There are two noted meanings, a popular meaning and a legal meaning. The popular meaning refers to all foods that are produced naturally. One might assume from this definition that all food must be organic, since all food is derived from a natural source whether it’s from a plant or animal. However, this is where the legal definition clears up any confusion. The legal definition of organic foods makes a clear distinction between organic and other types of food.

According to the legal definition, organic food is food from plants or animals that are produced without the use of synthetic fertilizers, artificial pesticides, herbicides, growth hormones, antibiotics, feed additives or genetically modified organisms (GMOs). All food that is sold as organic must come from growers, processors or importers who are registered with the appropriate authority. In the U.S., federal organic legislation defines three levels of organics. Products made entirely with certified organic ingredients and methods can be labeled “100% organic”. Products with at least 95% organic ingredients can use the word “organic”. Both of these categories may also display the USDA organic seal (pictured right). A third category, containing a minimum of 70% organic ingredients, can be labeled “made with organic ingredients”.

So now that you know what organic food means, let’s talk about why you should be eating it.

Why does Ryan recommend Organic food?

More Nutritious
Food that is produced under organic conditions is structurally different from chemically raised /processed products. The reason is in the absence of pesticides and fertilizers, plants boost their production of phytochemicals (vitamins and antioxidants) that strengthen their resistance to bugs and weeds. There is scientific evidence showing organic food has many more nutrients than conventionally farmed food.

No Toxins
There has been scientific studies linking pesticides in our food to everything from headaches to cancer. If you think about it, these chemicals are designed to kill other forms of life and we are eating them. To give you an idea of how toxic these pesticides can be I usually refer to people to the Bhopal gas tragedy. In 1984 a pesticide plant in Bhopal India had a gas leak of methyl isocyanate (chemical for production of pesticides) which resulted in the deaths of over 8000 people, injuring thousands more. The cells are the foundation of our health and chemical toxins cause them to malfunction.

GMO stands for genetically modified organism. Science has been genetically modifying plants to grow them faster, with more flavors, and  to be more resistant to disease. However, by eating this genetically modified food we are introducing DNA into our bodies that we’ve never encountered before. There is an ongoing concern that introducing foreign genes into food plants may have an unexpected and negative impact on human health.

Better for the Environment
The chemicals used in conventional farming are polluting the environment and killing many microorganisms in the soil. This causes the soil to have low to no nutrients. Organic farming reduces pollutants in groundwater and creates soil that aids in plants growth.