Many of us are not aware of why we should consider spending $$ on organic food. Hope the following article helps to explain why some are willing to spend the $.
5 Reasons to Buy Organic Food
Recently while grocery shopping, my 3-year-old son asked me to buy grapes. Since there were no organic varieties available, I said we’d have to wait. He didn’t question me. If you ask him why, he’d say it’s because he knows organic food is healthier for our bodies. And that is primarily why we buy it. But there are many reasons to make organic food a priority. Here are a few you might want to consider before you head to the checkout line.
1. Reduce pesticide exposure.
Unlike conventional crops, organic produce isn’t treated with synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. Ingesting these chemicals, such as glyphosate, the main ingredient in the weed-killer Roundup, has been linked to birth defects, learning disabilities and infertility. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, at least 19 million pounds of glyphosate is applied to conventional crops each year, and it turns up in the air we breathe and in the water we drink.
Choosing organic helps prevent pesticide exposure in two ways: First, it ensures the food we put in our bodies does not contain toxic chemicals. Second, by supporting organic farming, we take a step toward eliminating the widespread use of these chemicals.
2. Fight obesity.
When a pattern of unexplained obesity and diabetes began to emerge among farm workers, researchers examined the effects of heavy exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs, often found in pesticides). Sure enough, individuals who apply pesticides have a greater chance of developing these conditions, according to a 2008 study in the American Journal of Epidemiology. When researchers delved a little deeper, they discovered that the general public’s pesticide exposure put them at risk too.
Even in small doses, the hormone-disrupting properties of POPs appear to contribute to obesity and insulin resistance, common precursors of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, according to a 2011 study in the scientific journal PLoS One. You can avoid these pollutants by choosing organic foods.
3. Make more jobs—and more food.
Conventional farmers’ reliance on pesticides and machinery means they can produce more crops with less labor, which might sound good, but the loss of jobs can hurt farming communities. What’s more, cutting back on jobs does not necessarily mean more yield or greater profits.
A study conducted by the nonprofit Rodale Institute revealed that organic systems average $558 in net returns per acre per year, versus $190 per acre per year for chemical systems. And while the study showed no difference in yield between organic and conventional plots of corn, soy or wheat during normal growing conditions, it did reveal that in times of drought, the yield of organic plots was a whopping 30 percent higher than those of conventional plots. Every time you buy organic food, you are supporting job stability and increased food production.
4. Protect vitamin D levels.
We’ve heard a lot about vitamin D lately—how adequate levels help boost the immune system and ward off cancer, heart disease, bone fractures and infections. Many of us have heeded the warnings and started supplementing. However, even if you are ingesting high enough levels of vitamin D, certain pesticides known as organophosphates, which account for 70 percent of those used in the United States, may interfere with the body’s ability to metabolize and absorb the nutrient. Even small exposure to these chemicals was shown to lead to vitamin D deficiency, according to a 2012 PLoS One article. In order to keep your vitamin D levels high, consider taking supplements and avoiding pesticides by eating organic.
5. Avoid drugs, hormones and bacteria
Organically raised animals are not fed antibiotics, bovine human growth hormone (rbGH) or other artificial drugs. Nor are they allowed to eat genetically modified foods. They are raised in healthier environments than their factory farm counterparts, which means the animals themselves and the meat they provide is cleaner and healthier. For example, a 2011 study published in Environmental Health Perspectives shows that organic poultry farms have significantly lower levels of drug-resistant enterococci bacteria in the livestock as well as the feed and water. Since these antibiotic-resistant bacteria can be passed to humans via meat consumption, eating organic animal products is the best way to keep your body free of such contaminants.
******************************************************************
When is it Critical to Choose Organic?
Since 1993, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has been on a mission to protect public health and the environment by pushing for national policy change. Recently, this nonprofit organization once again released information about pesticide residue in produce.
Many scientific studies show pesticides are linked to a variety of health concerns, including cancer and brain damage, especially when they’re consumed in large amounts on a consistent basis.
Here is the EWG’s 2012 Dirty Dozen list of fruits and vegetables that contain unacceptable pesticide residues (with the worst offenders at the top of the list):
Apples
Celery
Sweet bell peppers
Peaches
Strawberries
Nectarines
Grapes
Spinach
Lettuce
Cucumbers
Blueberries
Potatoes
You can avoid pesticide residue by choosing produce that is certified organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. USDA regulations prohibit use of chemical pesticides, herbicides, insecticides or fertilizers on organic crops. But organic produce often carries a price premium, making the EWG’s list a handy guide if you’re on a budget.
“When making the choice between organic and nonorganic produce,” explains Mary Mulry, PhD, who is a food scientist and Wellness Times editorial advisor, “use the Dirty Dozen list as your guide to what to always purchase organic.”
The fruits and vegetables that had the lowest amount of pesticide residue made it to the 2012 Clean Fifteen list compiled by the EWG:
Onions
Sweet corn
Pineapples
Avocado
Cabbage
Sweet peas
Asparagus
Mangoes
Eggplant
Kiwi
Cantaloupe
Sweet potatoes
Grapefruit
Watermelon
Mushrooms
The EWG says that some of the Clean Fifteen do have detectable levels of pesticides, but those levels are the lowest of all the foods tested. Some of the fruits and vegetables on the list have no detectable pesticide levels.
The EWG also tested prepared baby food and found that 92 percent had at least one form of pesticide residue. Green beans tested positive for five different pesticides, while sweet potatoes were the cleanest.
“Consumers should choose organic whenever possible, but especially for their children,” said Mulry. “Because children have a smaller body size, pesticide exposure can be more harmful to them.”
5 Reasons to Buy Organic Food
Recently while grocery shopping, my 3-year-old son asked me to buy grapes. Since there were no organic varieties available, I said we’d have to wait. He didn’t question me. If you ask him why, he’d say it’s because he knows organic food is healthier for our bodies. And that is primarily why we buy it. But there are many reasons to make organic food a priority. Here are a few you might want to consider before you head to the checkout line.
1. Reduce pesticide exposure.
Unlike conventional crops, organic produce isn’t treated with synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. Ingesting these chemicals, such as glyphosate, the main ingredient in the weed-killer Roundup, has been linked to birth defects, learning disabilities and infertility. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, at least 19 million pounds of glyphosate is applied to conventional crops each year, and it turns up in the air we breathe and in the water we drink.
Choosing organic helps prevent pesticide exposure in two ways: First, it ensures the food we put in our bodies does not contain toxic chemicals. Second, by supporting organic farming, we take a step toward eliminating the widespread use of these chemicals.
2. Fight obesity.
When a pattern of unexplained obesity and diabetes began to emerge among farm workers, researchers examined the effects of heavy exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs, often found in pesticides). Sure enough, individuals who apply pesticides have a greater chance of developing these conditions, according to a 2008 study in the American Journal of Epidemiology. When researchers delved a little deeper, they discovered that the general public’s pesticide exposure put them at risk too.
Even in small doses, the hormone-disrupting properties of POPs appear to contribute to obesity and insulin resistance, common precursors of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, according to a 2011 study in the scientific journal PLoS One. You can avoid these pollutants by choosing organic foods.
3. Make more jobs—and more food.
Conventional farmers’ reliance on pesticides and machinery means they can produce more crops with less labor, which might sound good, but the loss of jobs can hurt farming communities. What’s more, cutting back on jobs does not necessarily mean more yield or greater profits.
A study conducted by the nonprofit Rodale Institute revealed that organic systems average $558 in net returns per acre per year, versus $190 per acre per year for chemical systems. And while the study showed no difference in yield between organic and conventional plots of corn, soy or wheat during normal growing conditions, it did reveal that in times of drought, the yield of organic plots was a whopping 30 percent higher than those of conventional plots. Every time you buy organic food, you are supporting job stability and increased food production.
4. Protect vitamin D levels.
We’ve heard a lot about vitamin D lately—how adequate levels help boost the immune system and ward off cancer, heart disease, bone fractures and infections. Many of us have heeded the warnings and started supplementing. However, even if you are ingesting high enough levels of vitamin D, certain pesticides known as organophosphates, which account for 70 percent of those used in the United States, may interfere with the body’s ability to metabolize and absorb the nutrient. Even small exposure to these chemicals was shown to lead to vitamin D deficiency, according to a 2012 PLoS One article. In order to keep your vitamin D levels high, consider taking supplements and avoiding pesticides by eating organic.
5. Avoid drugs, hormones and bacteria
Organically raised animals are not fed antibiotics, bovine human growth hormone (rbGH) or other artificial drugs. Nor are they allowed to eat genetically modified foods. They are raised in healthier environments than their factory farm counterparts, which means the animals themselves and the meat they provide is cleaner and healthier. For example, a 2011 study published in Environmental Health Perspectives shows that organic poultry farms have significantly lower levels of drug-resistant enterococci bacteria in the livestock as well as the feed and water. Since these antibiotic-resistant bacteria can be passed to humans via meat consumption, eating organic animal products is the best way to keep your body free of such contaminants.
******************************************************************
When is it Critical to Choose Organic?
Since 1993, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has been on a mission to protect public health and the environment by pushing for national policy change. Recently, this nonprofit organization once again released information about pesticide residue in produce.
Many scientific studies show pesticides are linked to a variety of health concerns, including cancer and brain damage, especially when they’re consumed in large amounts on a consistent basis.
Here is the EWG’s 2012 Dirty Dozen list of fruits and vegetables that contain unacceptable pesticide residues (with the worst offenders at the top of the list):
Apples
Celery
Sweet bell peppers
Peaches
Strawberries
Nectarines
Grapes
Spinach
Lettuce
Cucumbers
Blueberries
Potatoes
You can avoid pesticide residue by choosing produce that is certified organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. USDA regulations prohibit use of chemical pesticides, herbicides, insecticides or fertilizers on organic crops. But organic produce often carries a price premium, making the EWG’s list a handy guide if you’re on a budget.
“When making the choice between organic and nonorganic produce,” explains Mary Mulry, PhD, who is a food scientist and Wellness Times editorial advisor, “use the Dirty Dozen list as your guide to what to always purchase organic.”
The fruits and vegetables that had the lowest amount of pesticide residue made it to the 2012 Clean Fifteen list compiled by the EWG:
Onions
Sweet corn
Pineapples
Avocado
Cabbage
Sweet peas
Asparagus
Mangoes
Eggplant
Kiwi
Cantaloupe
Sweet potatoes
Grapefruit
Watermelon
Mushrooms
The EWG says that some of the Clean Fifteen do have detectable levels of pesticides, but those levels are the lowest of all the foods tested. Some of the fruits and vegetables on the list have no detectable pesticide levels.
The EWG also tested prepared baby food and found that 92 percent had at least one form of pesticide residue. Green beans tested positive for five different pesticides, while sweet potatoes were the cleanest.
“Consumers should choose organic whenever possible, but especially for their children,” said Mulry. “Because children have a smaller body size, pesticide exposure can be more harmful to them.”
must read the labels carefully when grocery shopping then. we have enough veg/fruits coming from malaysia and other countries to choose from right? but i noticed a lot of canned stuff still come from china. i don't eat a lot of them but keep a few for emergencies when i've run out of other stuff.
