Are Organic Foods Better for Our Health? Why? And How?
For the last ten years, give or take, a “new” kind of food has hit the supermarket shelf, organic food. So in case, you don’t know what Organic food is, I’ll explain; organic food, is food produced without any pesticides, or additives, we can easily compare organic foods to all types of farming, known to man in the past millennia. When the only methods of farming, were to create nutrient-rich soil, through natural composts, to plant, and eventually harvest natural foods, then possibly feed animals said natural foods. Organic foods are important to humans since while conventional farming deposits chemicals into the earth, to grow stronger crops, organic food is all natural. This is important since, in the process of growing crops in a conventional way, our food is open to chemicals which are harmful to us, which could potentially do damage to our person. Personally, I have found there is more evidence to support the claim that: organic food is healthier, for human consumption than non-organic food for multiple reasons. One of these reasons being, organic food is safer for people to eat, as there are no harmful chemicals in them, resulting in people not receiving the levels of toxins from their food, or as large quantities of harmful chemicals as conventional food usually contains. Another reason organic food is better is the fact that organic food typically has more nutrients than conventional food. Organic foods are
It has been argued that organic are worthwhile because of nutrition. In paragraph 21, David Lazarus, stated, “What you’re paying for, presumably, is a more healthful diet. That means produce that hasn’t been drenched in pesticides, chicken and beef that hasn’t been pumped full of antibiotics, milk with even more nutritional value.” However, organic food is not worthwhile because of nutrition. “A 2012 study found no real difference between organic and conventional food in terms of nutrition. Its findings appeared in the Annals of Internal Medicine”(Cernansky 6). This quote shows that there is no difference between organic and conventional food. If there is no difference between the food then why change the
Organic foods are no longer only found in health food stores; they have become a mainstay in our supermarkets. Today’s consumers are faced with the decision of whether or not it is worth the cost to buy organic. To determine the answer to this question one will need to determine if it has been scientifically determined that consumption organic food products are more beneficial to one’s health.
Traits of organic food can also be misconstrued in the sense of the ingredients and how it is different from the way processed food is produced. “In reality, certified organics have lower levels of chemical residue, Roethal argues, which is positive for consumers, farm workers and the land itself, but organic growing practices have no impact on how many nutrients, calories or grams of fat are in anyone's favorite foods”(SFGate). As mentioned previously in the quote, often times organic food can benefits one’s health because of the little amount in which chemicals and calories are in the substance. The concern about organic food is that it is substantially more expensive than non-organic food. However,“Organic food sales are increasing by double digits annually, and more than 80 percent of parents reported buying organic food for their families last year”, according to Batch. With the high-price of organic food, this could also be a reason on why people tend to lean more towards the less healthier items, all because of the low cost. Even though there are different and confusing standards on what organic really is, the ideal description would typically be foods that do not have the same producing process as non-organic food.
When considering differences between organic and conventional foods often the first thing people comment on is the nutritional value. Organic foods have grown in popularity due to the perception that they are better nutritionally. Barbara Hey (2009), health reporter and author of the article, “A Different Health Debate: Conventional versus Organic Food” and Smith-Spangier, Crystal, et al. (2012), emphasize that the benefits of organic foods and farming are important to society. That organic food can help protect what’s most valuable to people, their health. They suggest that eating a healthy diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants is a good investment in preventative care. Jeff Gillman (2008) agrees and states, “ …preventing disease is much more cost effective than treating disease. Organic foods can play a vital role in keeping people healthy” (139).
From the now popular recyclable cloth grocery bags, to the organic garden at the White House, food, and the food industry is changing. The popularity of organic and whole foods is on the rise. Processed foods are increasingly advertising that they are additive and preservative free, and all sorts of products now offer a “gluten-free” variety. The popularity of what is now being called the sustainable food movement, leads many to wonder why are some people willing to pay more, sometimes double, for organic produce, meat, eggs, and milk. Will this prove to be just another trendy American fad, or are there real health benefits from eating organic and whole foods? While the organic market only represents approximately 3% of the total food
Would you like to have no decisions on the healthiness of your food, and being able to only eat fast food, fried foods, etc. Most people would say no and rightfully so, people should be able to have choices on the foods they want to eat whether it’s healthy, unhealthy, fast food, farm grown, we shouldn’t have only unhealthy foods for our choices of what we eat. In the film Food Inc. directed by Robert Kenner there is a part in the movie that talks about the food choices of consumers. A point that was talked about for a decent amount of time in this part was how healthier foods are more expensive than fast food. This stood out to me because it’s true it cost more to eat healthy than it does to just go through a drive through. This is outrageous it should be the opposite, we should have to spend more for fast food than healthy foods. While at most fast food places there are ways you can eat healthy food but it is still more expensive than just buying a cheeseburger or chicken nuggets. During this part of the film a family was talking and saying that they have to choose whether to eat healthier food or get there father/husbands medicine so he could work. A family has to choose between those to things and that is not fair to anyone that has to make that decision. The family wanted to have better food and to not always be eating fast food meals but they don’t really have a choice and that is heartbreaking to see.
While the designation of foods produced without the use of agrichemicals as organic began in the 1950s, only recently has consumer interest in purchasing organic foods increased. As more and more companies market products to these consumers, some have begun to wonder about the advantages of eating these foods. Deborah Rich argues, “One of the major benefits of organic foods is their increased nutrient content” (Rich 1). Rich cites multiple studies showing that organically grown foods contain higher levels of important nutrients than conventionally grown foods. The low nutritional content of conventionally grown foods that most Americans consume, Rich suggests, has resulted in grave consequences for the nation, including higher rates of chronic disease, nutrient deficiencies, and overeating.
A growing number of consumers favor organic foods, claiming that it tastes better and is healthier. Why organic? Organic foods grown naturally in well-balanced soils, ripened by the sun are healthier and tastier than products with synthetic chemicals and growth hormones.
But as consumers are only willing to pay the extra money for organic food mainly for any health benefits they associate with organic foods, such health benefits should be significant enough to warrant this inflated price. Studies demonstrate that the advantages of organic food are relatively small and even some disadvantages were found. Although correlations were found between a few health benefits and eating organically (reduced risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in subjects who eat organic foods more and mitigation of allergic dermatitis from consuming organic dairy products), these correlations were the only ones found amongst hundreds
Organic farming began just as the effects of the Great Depression waned in the United States, and has seen a dramatic increase in popularity most recently (AG). The sales of organic food increased by about twenty percent a year throughout the nineteen nineties (Marcus). That is over ten times the rate of increase that conventional food experienced during the same period of time (Harris). As recently as twenty eleven, about seventy-eight percent of American families admitted to routinely purchasing organic food (Organic). Organic food sales jumped from three point five million in nineteen ninety-seven, to thirty-one million in twenty eleven (Organic). However, while organic food may seem better than conventional food, numerous studies have shown that it is not distinguishably more healthful, nutritious, palatable, or safe.
I will be writing in my book report on Food Inc about how the food industry is not really telling us what is in our food and how we don’t know much about the food we buy and eat. I was in shock because I try to avoid eating junk food or fast food, and after reading the book I realize I could still be eating junk food, if I don’t learn more about what I am buying. I will be writing about how the food industry can get away with murder and not have to pay for it. Also on how the government is not regulating them as they should. How information is being with help from us, and how we are kept in the dark, for their benefit. How our farmers are treated and how the use of high levels of pesticides to which they are exposed to and their families
The clear conclusions drawn from numerous studies targeting organic food are that organic food does not equal safe food, does not have clear nutritional advantage and does not have reduced level of naturally occurring toxins over conventional plants or livestock (80, 81). Fertilization enriches soils and provides nutrients in food, regardless of it being organic or chemical fertilizer. Risk of exposure to microbial contamination is not lower in organic food (82). Level of naturally occurring toxins such as aflatoxins in peanuts and grains, solanine in green parts of potatoes, goitrogens in some raw vegetables, and other poisons in mushrooms and herbs is not affected by the method of growing (81). Pesticides usages are monitored and will not pose harm to health when applied in regulated manner. However, the amount of pesticides residue is usually lower in organic food (82). One observational study and one systematic review found no protective value of organic food over eczema or atopy diseases (83, 84). Hence the claims being made over benefits of organic food can be concluded as misleading at best, and there is a pressing need for proper public education on this issue
Food is a vital source for survival, and with a growing population that is likely to reach a total of 9,000 million by 2050, the use of biotechnology in farming for food production should be considered. The most efficient solution to solve the global food shortage might be to rely on science and technology. Though there are many controversies regarding the use of genetically-modified (GM) food, it could be the best solution. Though I support the idea of GM foods, I do believe those who enjoy organic foods should have the option to continue with it. Both organic and GM food supply should be used to suit both sides of the controversy.
In recent years, many people don’t go more than a few days without hearing about organic foods in one way or another, whether it be through the media, friends or the numerous labels at the grocery store. For me, whenever someone brings up organic foods, they always put them on a pedestal of health caused by people’s recent disgust with the industrialized way we produce foods, which, to be fair, is not unfounded. I had assumed it was a bunch of gibberish, however, the data suggests a more ambiguous answer.
Organic, all natural, and genetically modified are phrases you find every day in your local grocery store. The most common misconception concerning GMO’s, is that they are harmful to humans. There are lots of benefits to GMO’s that most of the anti-GMO activists don’t know about because they don’t know what they really are. While the greatest feature for stores is to have their very own marketing gimmick, the gimmick being their products are non-genetically modified. There are lots of genetically modified organisms that humans have been consuming for many years without even realizing it.