Organic Foods: Saving Yourself and the Environment
Do you know everything that happens to the food you buy before you buy it? You probably do not because the food industry does not want you to know. If you did know, you would not want to eat your food. Have you ever wondered why you can buy tomatoes in the middle of winter, or why meat does not have any bones? Foods have been imported to your supermarket from all around the world. Produce is harvested when it is not completely ripe and then later ripened with chemicals such as ethylene gas. Meat and dairy corporations make you believe that th¬¬eir food comes from farms and ranches, when really; their food is being produced in factories. The only way to know the truth about your food is by getting it from reliable sources. Organic farmers tell you the truth about what is done to their food before it becomes an item on the shelf of a supermarket. Consuming organic foods greatly impacts everyday life and health because it contains more nutrients, creates a safer environment, and is able to reduce risks or even prevent diseases and health issues.
Organic foods have become very popular because of the speculations of whether or not organic food products are more beneficial than nonorganic food products. In order to be considered “organic,” foods must meet certain requirements such as being grown in soil safe for the environment, having no genetic modifications, and staying away from harmful products like pesticides and
Over the last few years, awareness of organic food has risen. Due to this, the demand for organic food is a factor which is influencing the farmers to switch to use this technique, and it is being sold in specialty stores and conventional supermarkets. Organic products contain numerous marketing claims that it is healthier, it offers more value, and the farming is more environmentally friendly than traditional foods, so, how does one determine if organic is the way to go? Some argue that there is evidence that supports and demonstrates why organic foods and farming are better overall, while others insist that conventional foods and agriculture can offer the same benefits as going organic. There is no right or wrong answer. Within this
In order to establish eating the healthiest foods possible, any individual can shop for organic foods that have “organic” labels on them. Organically grown foods have an immense amount of pure nutrients and healthier ingredients than GMO food. This high-quality alternative accomodates a healthy and safe lifestyle. The ultimate gain of health is indulged by considering a wise decision such as consuming organic foods and products. Diverse organic produce generates health benefits that outweigh the price premiums associated with it. Due to countless usage of unadapted chemicals, crops are evidently damaged and captivated with extremely toxic pesticides and insecticides. Recently, GMO foods have severely
As an alternative to the industrial food chain which is now prevail in the US, the organic food chain emphasis that “nature rather than the machine should supply the proper model for agriculture” (Pollan 131). The idea of “organic” is best demonstrated by farms that raise diversified species in a traditional way and target at the local market. However, most of the “organic food” people consume today is produced from the “industrial organic” farms which belong to the industrial food chain instead of the ideal organic food
The history of organic foods is controversial. When consumers hear the term "organic", many expect foods that are treated with fewer or no "bad chemicals", foods that are more nutritious, or "natural", and those that are less processed or may entail closer care and attention to crops and livestock. However, this is a long list of expectations that are difficult to meet, so the question is actually whether or not the certification process and benefits are worth the hassle. When it comes to health, there is no difference between organic and conventional produce. Both offer the same nutrient benefits. While choosing to eat fresh produce is better for your health than processed food, choosing organic does not lead to any additional benefits. This
With the world’s population continuing to increase, the demand for food is higher than ever. This increase in food demand also calls for more efficient ways of growing and providing the food. Two methods that are very controversial are the organic and conventional method. While many people support the organic method because of its known benefits, others feel that it is an over inflated industry that cheats consumers out of their money. But recently many studies have disproved those critics. These studies prove that Organic food is a better choice than conventional because it is better for the environment, avoids the use of chemicals, and is generally more beneficial.
When the majority of people buy organic food, most have at least some expectation that the product they are buying is healthier—or more importantly, containing less pesticides—than the conventional food they may buy for much cheaper. Contrary to popular belief, most organic foods do in fact contain pesticides and have no added health benefits compared to conventional foods. The main culprit of hiding these facts from the public is the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) with their questionable regulations of organic foods grown in the United States and being imported from other countries. The USDA has become extremely lax with their rules as to what makes an organic food organic; however, with the cooperation of the USDA and countries
“Organic Foods: Health and Environmental Advantages and Disadvantage” describes that consumers suppose that farming organics is more benign to the environment since “organic farms do not use or release synthetic pesticides into the environment, some of which have the potential to harm soil.” Consumers get a sense of security knowing that their food is safe from toxins like pesticides, as well as a sense of responsibility for improving the earth’s welfare. This has become an increasingly important factor for purchasing organic foods, as the push for more environmentally friendly options has been increasingly prominent in this day and
No matter where we go as consumers, we are faced with an endless amount of variety when it comes to product choices. Within the last several years the organic food market has become a popular trend among Americans. In today’s supermarkets, organic foods are everywhere, as they are no longer limited to only upscale retailers. Large corporations are jumping on the bandwagon and bringing the organic industry to the mainstream market, making the products readily available to the average consumer. The movie Food Inc. portrays this when the film shows Wal-Mart transitioning into this industry as it is flourishing with the recent health campaigns. In 2013 the organic food industry grew to $35.1 billion dollars, an 11.5% increase compared to the previous year ("Market Analysis"). Consumers seem to believe that organic foods have more health benefits, such as nutritional value, environmental benefits, and also take account for animal welfare. So what is the truth about organic food and why is it becoming so popular? It seems as though while organic food maybe the better choice, most consumers do not have a clear understanding on what organic food actually is and what it means.
In our world today many people want to know what is going into their body. Many individuals will choose organic food over conventional food because of the way it is produced. The only issue with organic food, in the United States, is that it does not have enough organic farmers to produce the same volume that conventional farmers do. If farmers transform to organic farming, this can stabilize the need for organic food in the United States; doing this can aid the business of local and whole food shops.
This paper begins by providing key information and terms to provide a basic understanding of concepts between organic foods and genetically engineered foods, often known as genetically modified organisms (GMO). Any organism or microorganism which is genetically engineered is referred to as a GMO. In today’s modern world, scientists are most commonly using this technology in agriculture to pinpoint genes, isolate them, and then manipulating these genes to create crops with predetermined traits. This type of engineering, in plant-based foods, stems from a desire to create foods which do not occur organically in nature. The term “organic foods”, directly describes foods in which no artificial or genetically modified processes are used during the
Interest in organic food has been increasing over the past decade. The United States Department of Agriculture(USDA) defines the term organic as:“... a labeling term that indicates that the food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods ” (“Consumer Information,” 2014, para. 1). In fact, consumers have become aware about food quality, and this has increased the sales of organic foods. According to The Organic Trade Association (2011), organic food sales have been identified as the largest growth segment in U.S. agriculture, with sales increasing from $3.6 billion in 1997 to $26.7 billion in 2010. This increase is due to of many factors. One of them is the labels which influence people to buy organic food. The U.S. federal government utilizes informational product labeling (such as “organic” or “natural” labels) as a way to influence consumers’ knowledge and purchasing patterns. (Caswell & Mojduszka, 1996). There is no doubt that organic food labels motivate consumers to purchase these types of foods. It is therefore of interest to study the influence of these labels on consumers ' choices.
Many people are suddenly having an increase in interest in living healthy lifestyles and eating high quality food. This has caused organic food sales to increase and stores like Wal-Mart and Winn Dixie to start selling organic foods. Additionally, there has been an increase in stores opening like Whole Foods, who devote their entire store to selling not only organic foods, but other organic options such as: vitamins, soaps, and clothing. The growth of sales for organic food has increased because organic food is produced under certain farming conditions that follow the guidelines set by the EC Regulation. This means produce are grown without using pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), or anything that could potentially be harmful to the consumer’s body, which makes people think the food has higher quality. The term organic can be misleading because not all organic food sold on the market is certified organic; meaning consumers think they are buying organic food, but possibly are paying more and getting a product that is not approved to be organic. Many people believe that eating organic food is better for your overall health and by eating organic you will receive more vitamins and nutrients. When I asking a lady in her mid thirty’s at Whole Foods why she shops organically, her response was “I read in a magazine that organic food will help me lose weight so I figured I would give it a try.” Unfortunately,
Over the past few years, the food industry has seen a significant increase in the demand for organically grown foods over the alternative choice of conventionally grown food. In 1990, the revenue spent on organic foods was about $1 billion, in 2009 sales soared to $26.6 billion, and in 2014, sales reached the highest ever at $34.7 billion .The cause of the increase in demand can be attributed to the common belief that organic foods are healthier for human consumption, and healthier for our environment (USDA). There’s an overwhelming concern about how our food is produced, and how it impacts our environment and our economy.
In today’s world, there is a lot of emphasis on the kind of food that we consume in daily routine. One such issue claims that eating organic food is much better than buying and eating the non – organic food (D. Mosbergen July 2014). Certain studies point to the fact that the organic food that is available in almost every market is the best healthy option available whereas others say that it is no good but a tactical business strategy for increasing the sales of products labelled as “Organic”.
According to the USDA, organic foods consist of foods and products that are grown without the use of sewage sludge, harmful pesticides, and fertilizers made from synthetic ingredients. These standards and guidelines were implemented with the overall objective of improving the quality of the food supply while also preserving the environment. The Organic Foods Act (OFPA) “authorized a new USDA National Organic Program (NOP) to set national standards for the production, handling, and processing of organically grown agricultural products. In addition, the Program oversees mandatory certification of organic production.” (Gold “Organic Production/Organic Food:”) When these standards are upheld, consumers are given the opportunity to educate themselves on the contents found in their food, which