The Controversy: The History Of Organic Foods

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

The topic of being healthy is currently trending in our world right now. Everyone wants to follow the idea and live some form of a healthy lifestyle. Along being healthy, there is the demand of eating healthy; which is not always easy. There are so many types of food to consider, that it is almost overwhelming to search for healthy options. These options can range from yogurt to granola or even the type of carrots we choose, especially when there are different forms of farming methods for our vegetables. These methods of farming include conventional farming or organic farming. The difference? Simple, one requires the use of harmful fertilizers and pesticides; the other does not. Therefore, when it comes to deciding on the right vegetables for your health, organically grown food is your best option, here’s why.

In a recent study done by Organic Farming Research Company, there are approximately 13,000 organic farms throughout the United States out of 2.1 million farms. In recent years more people are converting to buying strictly organic foods, but why? Steven Shapin answers this by writing “what are you buying when you buy organic?” In his article he explains the difference between organic foods and non-organic. People are becoming aware of the dangers and risk of non-organic produce and food and converting to strictly organic foods. Organic and non-organic foods can be compared by price, calories, how the produce is grown and even packaging. Location in the store is also a factor that can come into play.

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.

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

Sales of organic food have risen steadily over the past couple of years, reaching nearly $30 billion in 2011, or 4.2% of all U.S. food and beverage sales, (Adams). Many people believe that organic foods are ultimately the better choice when it comes to health due to the absence of pesticides and hormones. But other people—especially those whose food budgets may be more defined—wonder if organic food is really worth the inflated price tag. Despite the price, Organic foods are worth producing and consuming rather than conventional foods due to the immense benefits they provide.

Congratulations! You have just won a trip to Earth in the year 2050, when Scientific American writers Michael Moyer and Carina Storrs predict that the world will be in dire need of resources. Buildings are crumbling, and more people are becoming cold and hungry by the hour. Cows have been extinct since 2030, and oil and coal have been wiped from the people’s memory. A skinny man glances at you from a crowd with a sad look in his eyes, and you can see the hunger within him. You wish that you could give all of these people something to eat, but your tour guide just keeps walking along like he sees the same image all the time. This time traveling vacation is just a glimpse of what the future could be, however, the field of synthetic biology could

The cost, productivity, time, skill, and spoilage of the food play a major part on the decision of buying organic foods. The biggest disadvantage to organic food is that it’s so expensive. “Anything that makes fruits and vegetables more expensive may increase cancer.”(blogactive 1) The USDA organic certification and labeling have very strict rules therefore it makes growing organic crops harder. The USDA method is very different than conventional industry farming methods. The increase in popularity in organic foods makes bigger farms and we will use a lot more fossil fuels and other resources. Another reason some families don't want organic food besides the fact it’s expensive, is it spoils faster. In the USDA no preservatives are a requirement therefore organic food spoils faster. This can cause a problem for consumers and in  stores because the food is usually transported a significant distance. If the cost of organic products became less expensive people would realize organic is better. Therefore the popularity will grow and there will be a higher demand. The price will lower making organic food affordable and the productivity will

The UDSA has no claims saying that organic foods are safer, healthier, or even more nutritious than traditional foods. Furthermore, there is only little research on outcomes of people who is on a strict organic diet. Also although food may be raised organically, some food

What does it mean to eat organically? It means to consume food that is grown without pesticides, antibiotics, or genetically modified organisms. The food comes from an organic farmer and is sold at an organic market. The issue on organic foods benefits matters because our health is at risk. In Danielle Niereenberg's Huffington Post article “Is Organic Food Better for You?”, she describes how a study done by Newcastle University found that “Pesticide residues were found to be three to four times more likely in conventional crops compared to organic.” The environment is also being affected when we do not consume organic food. The Toxics Action Center organization’s article “THE PROBLEM WITH PESTICIDES” describes how “Pesticide use can damage

First off, organic foods are defined as being grown without the use of pesticides, fertilizers or heavy metals, which are thought to influence the interaction of bioactive chemicals and metabolites present during the growth process (Bernacchia, Preti, & Vinci 2016). Consequently, produce that is grown under normal, unaltered conditions is assumed to cultivate additional substances that benefit our health as compared to inorganic produce (Bernacchia et al.,

Organic versus non-organic foods are always being debated to whether they are worth the extra cost. This seems to be an easy question, at first, but begs a more in-depth analysis to come to a conclusion. Organic definitions can vary by government, company and even individuals. Many people have their own ideas of what organic means. My personal definition, before this research assignment, was that organic products were grown with no pesticides, chemical additives, or preservatives and grown in a humane way. Meaning that if it said 100% organic, that is what was meant. This however, is not the case when it comes to the government’s definition of organic, according to T. A. Niewold who wrote, “Organic More Healthy; Green Shoots in a

A cultural shift to organic is critical for future human and environmental benefits for three reasons. First, a person’s health depends on good food being put in the body. Organic foods do not contain any artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, or pesticides making them better for one‘s health. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 60% of all herbicides, 90% of all fungicides and 30% of all pesticides-- all chemicals in conventionally grown agriculture-- cause cancer (CCOF). The bottom line is that these chemicals are poisons designed to kill living organisms and can all harm humans. Another reason would be that organic foods use natural fertilizers such as compost or manure, crop rotation, and careful breeding, many people say organics have a better, fresher taste than non-organic foods. Some studies show that organically grown food has higher amounts of vitamin C, magnesium, phosphorous, and iron (Crinnion) Chefs boast about using organic foods from local vendors all the time. Then another reason would be that organic farming is a definite win/win for the environment. Organic farming management relies on developing biological diversity in the field to disrupt the habitat for pest organisms for maintaining soil fertility. Since bagged fertilizer is not used, organic farming reduces the amount of groundwater pollution and soil erosion while increasing the biodiversity of animal, plant, and microbial life in a given biome. In the past, people who made food

However, according to Jeffrey Kluger, “a 2009 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition led to a firestorm in the food world. It found no difference between organic and conventional produce with regard to all but three of the vitamins and other food components studied, and conventional produce actually squeaked past organic for one of those three.” Nevertheless, more research should be done to affirm to this claim before coming to a conclusion. Organic agriculture is preordained to improve the soil quality over time by avoiding most synthetic materials, such as pesticides and antibiotics; the only reason there is an increase in vitamin and mineral levels in comparison to inorganic food may be because some vitamins and vitamins are destroyed through the inorganic growing process.

Making my way over to my hotel’s breakfast bar I was immediately struck by the many odd-shaped fruits that greeted me. Their roughness and complete lack of uniformity seemed at total odds with the plush surroundings of the hotel. I couldn’t help but be amused by how things had changed. Only a few years previously, such hotels would have been disgusted at the thought of displaying such unaesthetically pleasing fruit. Now, food of this description is proudly eaten by the elite. Inverted snobbery has never been better represented than through shabby chic and its total insincerity has never better been exemplified than through the organic food industry. The term “organic” has now seeped deeply into our society becoming a by-word for more ethical and healthier food production and consumption. However, the only awareness being shown by the corporations and retailers who use this label is an understanding of people can be hoodwinked into paying more for snake oil.