Are All Organic Foods really Organic? Know the Insights

By      01-Oct 2021       Reading Time: 6 Mins

Are All Organic Foods really Organic? Know the Insights

Organic foods are grown without the use of artificial chemicals, hormones, antibiotics or genetically modified organisms. In order to be labelled as organic food, a product must be free of artificial food additives. Non- organic food contains preservatives, colouring and flavouring agents, artificial sweeteners and monosodium glutamate (MSG).

Organic foods are produced through farming practices that only use natural substances.

The term “organic” refers to the way agricultural products are grown and processed. While the regulations vary from country to country, organic food means food grown with natural fertilizers.

How your food is grown or raised can have a major impact on your mental and emotional health as well as the environment. Organic foods often have more beneficial nutrients, such as antioxidants, than their conventionally-grown counterparts and people with allergies to foods, chemicals, or preservatives often admitted that they found their symptoms lessen or go away when they eat only organic foods.

Benefits of organic food:

  • Fewer pesticides: Residues remain on (and in) the food we eat, chemicals such as fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides are widely used in conventional agriculture.
  • Fresher food: Since it doesn’t contain preservatives that make it last longer. Organic produce is often produced on smaller farms near where it is sold so buying food from local markets or local farmers works well.
  • Better for the environment: Organic farming practices help reduce pollution, conserve water, reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and use less energy. Farming practices without pesticides is also better for nearby birds and animals as well as people who live close to farms.

Organically raised animals are not given antibiotics, growth hormones, or fed animal by-products. Feeding livestock animal byproducts increases the risk of cow disease and the use of antibiotics can create antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. Organically raised animals are given more space to move around and access to the outdoors, which help to keep them healthy.

Organic products like meat and milk are richer in certain nutrients.

  • GMO-free: Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) or genetically engineered (GE) foods are plants whose DNA has been altered in ways that cannot occur in nature or are a product of traditional crossbreeding, most commonly in order to be resistant to pesticides or produce an insecticide.

Is organic food always pesticide-free?

As mentioned above, one of the primary benefits of eating organic is lower levels of pesticides. However, despite popular belief, organic farms do use pesticides. The difference is that they only use naturally-derived pesticides, rather than the synthetic pesticides used on conventional commercial farms. Natural pesticides are believed to be less toxic, however, some have been found to have health risks but rightly said your exposure to harmful pesticides will be lower when eating organic.

Buying tips to keep in mind while organic food:

  • Buy seasonal food items – Fruits and vegetables are the cheapest and freshest when bought in season. Ask your local grocery store guy when produce is delivered to market so you’re buying the freshest food possible.
  • Look for a 100% organic label on the food item.
  • Buy and shop around to compare the price of organic items at the grocery store, the farmers’ market and other venues.
  • Organic doesn’t always mean healthy – Making junk food sound healthy is a common marketing strategy in the food industry but organic baked goods, desserts, and snacks are usually still very high in sugar, salt, fat, or calories. Read food labels carefully is something that should not be missed.

Footnote

The digital literacy rate in India is growing, the demand for organic food in India has seen good growth. People are becoming aware of the harmful effects of chemicals and fertilizers used during farming in India and hence organic food is our saviour!

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