When walking through a grocery store, it is hard not to notice a
certain new kind of trend. There is a growing trend in having more organic
produce on the shelves. The general belief is that organic food tends to be
better for both the consumer and the environment when compared to the
non-organic food. Some readers may challenge my view by insisting that non
organic foods are the same as organic and disagree on the grounds that organic
foods are healthier and a better choice. Many people today cannot tell the
difference. There are multiple pros and cons between organic food and
non-organic foods.
In terms of the consumers’ health, both organic and non-organic foods
have their benefits. Our diet in short, it is killing us. Not just us, but the
planet too. In Atlanta, “the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions
released a study in which 27% of Americans are considered obese (Kluger).
Americans eat too much meat. We have always been known as unapologetic
carnivores. We are eating up to 200 lb. per year (Kluger). “Only 14 percent of
us are consuming our recommended five servings of fruit and vegetables per day” (Kluger).
There are some alarming differences between organic and non-organic
foods, especially when considering agriculture. Organic foods are dairy, produce
and poultry products that were treated with no pesticides, growth hormones, or
antibiotics. Organic farmers use manure and nothing else to grow fruits,
vegetables and grains. This may sound gross and unsanitary, but without all of
those chemicals being sprayed on the crops, it prevents thousands of toxic
chemicals from entering the environment and poisoning the crops. These chemicals can cause serious health issues, such as: low birth weight and birth defects, interfere with child development and cognitive ability, disrupt hormone
function, and cause a variety of cancers (Kluger). Most people believe that if you wash food products thoroughly or peel the skin of fruits or vegetables it can eliminate pesticides. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Most of the chemicals that are sprayed make their way into the part of the plant that people eat.
Most of the foods people buy from the supermarket may have been laying on shelves for days or even weeks before they are purchased. So the life energy of the plant you are eating is pretty much gone. Also, fruits and vegetables that have been shelved for a long period of time have little to no nutritional value. Organic foods offer much more healthy benefits, meaning it has a higher nutritional amount than a nonorganic food. Organic foods are known to contain 50% more nutrients, minerals and vitamins than produce that has been intensively farmed (Kluger). Many organics may even taste better. You will have to eat more fruit nowadays to make up the deficiency, but unfortunately that means eating more chemicals which will have more detrimental effects on your health eating something that should be good for you.
The question that potential organic consumers seem to ask pertaining to
this issue is that is it worth paying for. Even with its higher cost, organic
foods are a worthwhile choice for a better health and nutrition.In the end, it
is important to support the locally grown produce to make customers know the
difference. And not to only make more fresh foods available to consumers, but
also to boost a growing economic sector. Let’s just stop diseases and buy
organic.
Kluger, Jeffrey. “What’s So Great about Organic Food?” Editorial. TIME Specials. 18 Aug. 2010: n.pag. Health Checkup: Who Needs Organic Food? TIME, 25 Aug. 2010. Web. 9 Oct. 2012.
certain new kind of trend. There is a growing trend in having more organic
produce on the shelves. The general belief is that organic food tends to be
better for both the consumer and the environment when compared to the
non-organic food. Some readers may challenge my view by insisting that non
organic foods are the same as organic and disagree on the grounds that organic
foods are healthier and a better choice. Many people today cannot tell the
difference. There are multiple pros and cons between organic food and
non-organic foods.
In terms of the consumers’ health, both organic and non-organic foods
have their benefits. Our diet in short, it is killing us. Not just us, but the
planet too. In Atlanta, “the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions
released a study in which 27% of Americans are considered obese (Kluger).
Americans eat too much meat. We have always been known as unapologetic
carnivores. We are eating up to 200 lb. per year (Kluger). “Only 14 percent of
us are consuming our recommended five servings of fruit and vegetables per day” (Kluger).
There are some alarming differences between organic and non-organic
foods, especially when considering agriculture. Organic foods are dairy, produce
and poultry products that were treated with no pesticides, growth hormones, or
antibiotics. Organic farmers use manure and nothing else to grow fruits,
vegetables and grains. This may sound gross and unsanitary, but without all of
those chemicals being sprayed on the crops, it prevents thousands of toxic
chemicals from entering the environment and poisoning the crops. These chemicals can cause serious health issues, such as: low birth weight and birth defects, interfere with child development and cognitive ability, disrupt hormone
function, and cause a variety of cancers (Kluger). Most people believe that if you wash food products thoroughly or peel the skin of fruits or vegetables it can eliminate pesticides. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Most of the chemicals that are sprayed make their way into the part of the plant that people eat.
Most of the foods people buy from the supermarket may have been laying on shelves for days or even weeks before they are purchased. So the life energy of the plant you are eating is pretty much gone. Also, fruits and vegetables that have been shelved for a long period of time have little to no nutritional value. Organic foods offer much more healthy benefits, meaning it has a higher nutritional amount than a nonorganic food. Organic foods are known to contain 50% more nutrients, minerals and vitamins than produce that has been intensively farmed (Kluger). Many organics may even taste better. You will have to eat more fruit nowadays to make up the deficiency, but unfortunately that means eating more chemicals which will have more detrimental effects on your health eating something that should be good for you.
The question that potential organic consumers seem to ask pertaining to
this issue is that is it worth paying for. Even with its higher cost, organic
foods are a worthwhile choice for a better health and nutrition.In the end, it
is important to support the locally grown produce to make customers know the
difference. And not to only make more fresh foods available to consumers, but
also to boost a growing economic sector. Let’s just stop diseases and buy
organic.
Kluger, Jeffrey. “What’s So Great about Organic Food?” Editorial. TIME Specials. 18 Aug. 2010: n.pag. Health Checkup: Who Needs Organic Food? TIME, 25 Aug. 2010. Web. 9 Oct. 2012.