BENEFITS OF EATING ORGANICALLY
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Choosing to eat organically is not just helpful for the environment, but your personal health as well. Food is one of the essentials of life, and so much of what we eat influences the condition of our bodies physically and mentally. Having a balanced diet includes factoring in the quality of the food. Which means opting for what contains the highest nutritional value is the most beneficial.
We were once a society that was agriculturally based before the industrial revolution and the implementation of mass production. Having food standards lowered (in the United States most notably) lead to the increase in pollution and poisons that we see in a lot of food today. Some American food is actually banned in certain countries because of its toxicity, so that shows that a lot of artificially made foods do not belong in our bodies. Besides that there are more diseases linked to food consumption now than ever in history.
Organic food is food that is free from synthetic chemicals, toxic pesticides, and fertilizers. It also is produced without the use of genetically modified organisms. There are such a wide range of affordable organic options at most grocery stores these days, so you don’t have to necessarily find a farmer’s market or grow them yourself to have access to them. In my personal opinion fresh food or farmer’s markets are the best for supporting local farmers and small businesses, but you can still find a nice variety for most products at your neighborhood grocery store.
Because of the lack of chemicals organic produce tends to have a better taste and is higher in antioxidants and other nutrients. These vitamins and antioxidants in food can help prevent things like heart disease and cancer among other health issues. It also helps with the treatment of animals since free range animals have good fatty acids that are healthier for the heart. Consuming nonorganic products can mean also ingesting the antibiotics and hormones that are injected into the animals. The best way to build your immune system is to try to minimize your exposure to the toxic byproducts of synthetic food production.
With all that said, there is still the issue of socioeconomic status having a huge impact on the availability of organic food. Studies show that higher income neighborhoods receive better resources particularly when it comes to the quality of food. It’s always a wonderful idea to start your own garden even if it's just small herbs, but if that isn’t an option simply do what you can. A lot of big chain stores have organic sections even if the selection is small. The price difference can vary by a little, but if you really pay attention to labels you get an idea of what ingredients to generally avoid. The more scientific names the more chemicals in it. Most truly organic products are free of dyes and artificial flavorings as well.
Do some research and spend some time finding alternatives for your current groceries that might not be organically produced. Another great recommendation if you can’t buy everything organically is to focus on the fruits, veggies, and herbs. There are still canned or boxed organic products, so if you are worried about shelflife you can buy those instead of the fresh produce all the time. If you eat meat or dairy free range is always best but you can also go to a butcher if there is one near you to get fresher meat.
Life is too short to eat bad food! Clean eating is happy eating and you don’t have to bleed your pockets or change your entire diet to do it. Choosing organic, non-GMO food can make all the difference in the state of the world we see today.
Sources: Time / Conserve Energy Future / Britannica