Health and Nutrition

“As humans, we were never intended to process the infinite list of chemicals presently found in the food chain and in medicines. To state that antibiotic and growth-enhancing chemical intervention in livestock is perfectly harmless in humans, is misleading and irresponsible. These chemicals are responsible for an alarming increase in disease, including cardiovascular disease, obesity, allergies, diabetes, cancers, ADD, ADHD and the rapidly growing incidence of infertility.”

Rene Larsen, Primary Healthcare Practitioner & Nutritionist

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

• Free range chicken is a much healthier option than commercially reared chickens.
• As one of the most versatile meats, chicken is easy to prepare and well-suited for a variety of recipes.
• Skinless chicken breast is highest in protein, vitamin E and vitamin B6 while chicken thigh is highest in iron.
• Chicken drumsticks are great for young children (4-8 years) – not only because it’s easier to eat with their fingers! Compared to other chicken cuts, drumsticks are the highest in omega 3, zinc, thiamine and biotin.
• Teenagers’s diets are usually low in magnesium, phosphorous, zinc and Vitamin E. Chicken drumsticks, thighs and breasts contribute these important nutrients.
• During pregnancy a 100g serving of whole skinless chicken is excellent for providing protein, selenium and vitamins B3 and B6. A 100g serve of skinless drumstick, thigh or whole chicken also provides 100% of the increased requirement for omega-3 during this time.
• The elderly, who are more at risk for a number of nutrient deficiencies, will benefit from eating a wide variety of chicken cuts.

Organic Farming Delivers Healthier, Richer Soil and Nutritionally Enhanced Food
 Six encouraging conclusions on the impacts of organic farming on soil quality and the nutritional content of food were reached by a panel of scientists participating in a symposium at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. A growing body of sophisticated research over the last decade has compared the impacts of organic and conventional farming systems on soil and food quality: Studies of apple production demonstrate that organically farmed soils display improved soil health as measured by increased biological diversity, greater soil organic matter, and improved chemical and physical properties. Enhancement of soil quality in organic apple production systems can lead to measurable improvements in fruit nutritional quality, taste, and storability. Organically farmed tomatoes have significantly higher levels of soluble solids and natural plant molecules called secondary plant metabolites, including flavonoids, lycopene, and Vitamin C. Most secondary plant metabolites are antioxidants, a class of plant compounds that have been linked to improved human health in populations that consume relatively high levels of fruit and vegetables.
Organic farming can, under some circumstances, delay the onset of the "dilution effect." In hundreds of studies, scientists have shown that incrementally higher levels of fertilizer negatively impact the density of certain nutrients in harvested foodstuffs, hence the name, the "dilution [of nutrients] effect." Specifically, tomatoes grown with organic fertilizers maintain constant concentrations of beneficial phenolic secondary plant metabolites and antioxidants, even as fruit grow larger, whereas concentrations of these same beneficial compounds decline with increasing fruit size when the same tomato cultivar is grown using conventional methods and fertilizer. Studies of 27 cultivars of organically grown spinach demonstrate significantly higher levels of flavonoids and vitamin C, and lower levels of nitrates. Nitrates in food are considered detrimental to human health as they can form carcinogenic compounds (nitrosamines) in the GI tract and can convert hemoglobin to a form that can no longer carry oxygen in the blood.
  The levels of secondary plant metabolites in food appear to be driven by the forms of nitrogen added to a farming system, as well as the ways in which the biological communities of organisms in the soil process nitrogen. Compared to typical conventional farms, the nitrogen cycle on organic farms is rooted in substantially more complex biological processes and soil-plant interactions, and for this reason, organic farming offers great promise in consistently producing nutrient-enriched foods. Organic soil fertility methods, which use less readily available forms of nutrients, especially nitrogen, improve plant gene expression patterns in ways that lead to more efficient assimilation of nitrogen and carbon in tomatoes. This improvement in the efficiency of nutrient uptake leaves plants with more energy to produce beneficial plant secondary metabolites, compounds that promote plant health as well as human health.
Source: The Organic Center

WHAT IS ORGANICS ALL ABOUT ?

It's about producing goods that work in harmony with, and not against, nature. The aim is to eradicate the use of harmful chemicals by making effective use of nature's natural resources. All organic products are also free of genetically modified organisms (organisms that have had their basic gene structure modified by the addition of external organism genes).

 WHAT IS ORGANIC FARMING?
It is the process of adopting environmentally friendly farming practices that protect soil health, the environment and ultimately your own health. Converting to Organic Farming is very challenging and requires patient and committed farmers. Organic farming is subject to the unpredictability of mother nature - making it vulnerable to weather and pest infestations which have no "quick fix" solutions. Farmers utilize a blend of old and new technologies and scientific research to balance the earth's natural ecosystems.
Examples of organic farming methods include:
* Rotating crops between fields. This helps keep pests from building up and improves soil fertility.
* Planting selected bushes and flowers to attract beneficial insects which ward off unwanted pests.
* Using biological insecticides which make use of pests' natural predators to control pest populations.
Organic farming produces nutrient rich, fertile soil which nourishes the plants. Keeping chemicals off the land protects water quality and wild life. It's also about practising good animal welfare where everything from breeding, rearing and handling, to feeding of animals is strictly regulated and a free range lifestyle is implemented.

Biodiversity and Organic Farming

Biodiversity is the variability of all living organisms -- including animal and plant species -- of the genes of all these organisms, and of the terrestrial, aquatic and marine ecosystems of which they are part.


Biodiversity makes up the structure of the ecosystems and habitats that support essential living resources, including wildlife, fisheries and forests. It helps provide for basic human needs such as food, shelter, and medicine. It composes ecosystems that maintain oxygen in the air, enrich the soil, purify the water, protect against flood and storm damage and regulate climate. Biodiversity also has recreational, cultural, spiritual and aesthetic values. – J Randerson

According to the researchers, organic farming aids biodiversity by using fewer pesticides and inorganic fertilisers, and by adopting wildlife-friendly management of habitats where there are no crops, including strategies such as not weeding close to hedges, and by mixing arable and livestock farming.

Mixed farming particularly benefits some bird species. Lapwings, for example, nest on spring-sown crops, but raise their chicks on pasture. Intensive agriculture has been blamed for the 80% decline in lapwing numbers in England and Wales since the 1960s. One of the reviewed studies from the UK also points to benefits for bats. Foraging activity was up 84% on organic farms and two species, the greater and lesser horseshoe bats, were found only on organic farms.

The studies might even have underestimated the benefits to wildlife, says Phillip Grice of English Nature. Some looked at farms shortly after they turned organic, so wildlife numbers may just have started increasing.

Some argue that farms that adopt a few organic practices, swapping chemical weeding for mechanical, for example, may help wildlife flourish just as much as completely organic farms. And it is possible that farmers who switched to organic farming may have been predisposed towards environmentally friendly methods. So the biodiversity on their farms may have been higher than average before conversion. The current studies are not detailed enough to answer these questions.







Ref: Biological Conservation/ Reed Business Info

What is Greenhouse Effect?

Seen from space, our atmosphere is but a tiny layer of gas around a huge bulky planet. But it is this gaseous outer ring and its misleadingly called greenhouse effect that makes life on Earth possible – and that could destroy life as we know it.

The sun is the Earth’s primary energy source, a burning star so hot that we can feel its heat from over 150 million kilometers away. Its rays enter our atmosphere and shower upon on our planet. About one third of this solar energy is reflected back into the universe by shimmering glaciers, water and other bright surfaces. Two thirds, however, are absorbed by the Earth, thus warming land, oceans, and atmosphere.


Much of this heat radiates back out into space, but some of it is stored in the atmosphere. This process is called the greenhouse effect. Without it, the Earth’s average temperature would be a chilling -18 degrees Celsius, even despite the sun’s constant energy supply.

In a world like this, life on Earth would probably have never emerged from the sea. Thanks to the greenhouse effect, however, heat emitted from the Earth is trapped in the atmosphere, providing us with a comfortable average temperature of 14 degrees.

So, how does it work? Sunrays enter the glass roof and walls of a greenhouse. But once they heat up the ground, which, in turn, heats up the air inside the greenhouse, the glass panels trap that warm air and temperatures increase.


Our planet, however, has no glass walls; the only thing that comes close to acting as such is our atmosphere. But in here, processes are way more complicated than in a real greenhouse.

Organic Food isn't Posh

“The paradox is there’s this view that organic is elitist, it’s expensive, it’s a lifestyle choice for people who can afford it.

Purchasing Organic Food  in supermarkets and via the internet is on the increase - The idea is to bring seasonal  produce to your door, cutting out the wholesaler and the time produce spends languishing in lorries and on supermarket shelves. Suddenly we are discovering the joy of scrubbing mud and creepy crawlies off our vegetables, and finding ourselves being inventive with kale and root vegetables. As Jane Grigson said, the best potatoes are always the dirtiest. 

It’s the only way to be sure of what you are eating, as no other term is strictly defined. For example, “free range” hens may be more tightly packed than battery ones. Organic producers have had to adhere to many regulations  from a diverse number of organisations across the world.

People who never used to give a thought to the Common Agriculture Policy, maximum residue levels, organophospahtes or nitrate vulnerable zones are now worried enough to ring the Pesticides Action Network — calls are doubling every year… And there has been a massive increase in visits, especially from people wanting to to find out where to buy organic locally.

It’s become much easier than it used to be, as supermarkets continue to respond to our demand for organic food.

One has to be committed. But if it’s supporting the ecosystem, it’s more likely to be healthy food. Industrial farmers continue to impoverish the landscape, pollute soils and watercourses and market contaminated food, all without penalty.

One can’t go organic overnight. After years of using agrochemicals, it takes at least two years for land to become “clean” enough to farm without them.







Source : Organicfoodee.com

 

Raw and Organic Food

What is Raw Food?


A raw foodist is someone that eats 75-100% live, organic-uncooked and unprocessed food and drinks pure, live water. A raw food diet consists of unprocessed foods that have not been heated above 115 degrees F. Raw foodists believe that foods cooked above this temperature have lost their enzymes and a therefore a significant amount of their nutritional value are harmful to the body whereas uncooked foods provide proper nutrition and living enzymes says organic goji berries nutritionist.

Other benefits to a raw food diet include weight loss, more energy, clear skin, improved digestion and improved overall health. Many people say that they eat a ‘high raw” or a certain percentage of raw foods or organic food in their diet such as “75% raw diet because maintaining a 100% raw diet can be challenging at times. A few people include raw, unprocessed dairy products in their diet but most follow a raw vegan diet.

What is Organic Food?

In agriculture, this means that crops were grown without the use of pesticides, artificial fertilizers or sewage sludge, and that they were processed without food additives (like chemical preservatives). When it comes to animals, they must be reared without the routine use of antibiotics and growth hormones and fed a diet of organic foods. In most countries, organic produce must not be genetically modified.

A growing number of consumers, and especially those dealing with chronic illness, are switching to raw and organic food. A key motivation for consumers doing this is a simple belief that it’s better for them.

Official food agencies around the world are unanimous in claiming there is no evidence of a nutritional difference. Yet a more careful and thorough review of the science comparing organic and non-organic food reveals that, collectively, the available evidence does indeed support the consumer belief and claims by the organic food online industry that their food is safer, more nutritious, and better for you than non-organic food.



Article Source

http://articlesooper.com/

Organic VS Conventional

So which is better? Just because a product says it's organic or contains organic ingredients doesn't necessarily mean it's a healthier alternative than cg foods. Some organic products may actually be higher in sugar, salt, fat or calories. Before you buy, check food labels to know exactly what you are getting.


Everyone wants to eat nutritious foods and most people can tell you exactly what they are.

Organic foods are grown without the use of irradiation, bioengineering or pesticides. Meat products are raised without antibiotics or hormones. Made with organic ingredients means that only 70% of the product is made with organic ingredients. Contains organic ingredients means that the product contains less than 70% organic ingredients. Farmers who grow organic produce and meat must follow strict soil and water conservation methods and guidelines for the humane treatment of animals.

Organic foods may be smaller, have odd shapes or varying colors, but in most cases, they look identical to their cg counterparts. Because they aren't treated with waxes, organic fruits and vegetables are not shiny and without preservatives they spoil faster.

Organic food can cost 50-100% more than cg food products. This is due to higher labor costs, tighter government regulations and lower crop yields. You should consider the best value for your money before buying either cg or organic foods.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wayne_Mcgregor

More on Organic Foods and Standards

Organic Foods and Standards


Accepted as beneficial over conventional foods due to their perceived health benefits, organic food industry is growing rapidly in recent times. Claimed by health experts, as more nutritious, organic foods also protect from the major killers, like heart disease and cancer as they contain Phenolic compounds. Food organically produced, processed and packaged without using chemicals has caught the attention of farmers, manufacturers and consumers alike. Tea, coffee, wine, meat, beef, milk, honey, vegetables, fruits, rice, corn, herbs, essential

Organic foods are made in a way that complies with organic standards set by national governments and international organizations. In the United States, organic production is a system that is managed in accordance with the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) of 1990 and regulations in Title 7, Part 205 of the Code of Federal Regulations to respond to site-specific conditions by integrating cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity.

For the vast majority of human history, agriculture can be described as organic; only during the 20th century was a large supply of new synthetic chemicals introduced to the food supply. This more recent style of production is referred to as "conventional." Under organic production, the use of conventional non-organic pesticide (including insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides) is precluded.

However, contrary to popular belief, certain sprays and other materials that meet organic standards are allowed in the production of organic food.





Ref:

[http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/nop]

http://www.righthealth.com/

[http://www.omri.org/omri ...

Organic Food Movement

How did the organic food movement originate?


The organic food movement rose out of a complex web of concerns and issues. First, there is the pesticide issue. For decades, large corporate farms had overused pesticides and chemicals on crops, which many argue is unhealthy.

There is also the buy local issue. Unlike many supermarket foods, which may be shipped from miles or even countries away, organic food is often produced locally. This supports local farmers and businesspeople, and conserves energy because there is less fuel wasted in food transport.

While the organic food movement is based on green and moral principles, it should be noted that not all foods are equally sensitive to pesticides and chemicals. Some foods are protected by a peel also.

Other foods are better to buy organic, because they are sensitive to pesticides or chemicals:

* Meat: Corporate farms often feed their livestock antibiotics to prevent disease, to offset crowded conditions in which they are raised. They are also fed chemicals to make them grow larger more quickly, so that it costs less to raise them to the point where they can be slaughtered for meat. The drugs and chemicals that animals are fed don't disappear when they are killed Ð often the compounds stay in the meat, and are ingested by humans.

Organic certification not only prevents the livestock farmers from feeding them chemicals and drugs, but also provides some assurance of humane treatment. Animal products marked "organic" come from animals that must be given some outdoor time each day, which is better than no time outside but should not be confused with genuinely humane treatment.

* Some fruit: It is better to buy organic when a type of fruit tends to concentrate the chemicals and pesticides it is exposed to. The Environmental Working Group's list of foods that have high concentrations of chemicals starts with peaches. Peaches have a very thin skin, which allows chemicals to leach into the edible part of the fruit, and the fruit itself is very soft allowing for deep penetration of chemical compounds.

You also want to be careful and purchase organic when buying apples, strawberries, cherries and grapes.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ken_McCormick

Organic Food Info

Why do Organic Foods cost more?


Organic food production is much more labour intensive. In addition, conventionally grown foods are often produced under subsidies from the government and chemical companies. Although priced lower at the grocery store, this cheap food is produced at the expense of the environment and individual health, hidden costs, which will eventually have to be repaid in environmental cleanup and disease costs.

Save on Organic Foods by:

• Buying locally
• Buying seasonally
• Buying in bulk
• Taking advantage of coupons and sales

Why should we buy organic foods?

These are the excerpt from the 1997 National Organic Directory:

1. Health of the soil
2. Safety of the water supply
3. Preservation of a family farm lifestyle
4. Health of farm workers
5. Nutrition, flavor and quality
6. Health investment.
7. How popular are organic foods?

Are Organic Foods Popular?
Organic foods have been growing in popularity, not only in the United States, but worldwide. Organic sales in the U.S. reached $5.5 billion in 2000. A similar figure for European countries of $5.5 billion is expected to increase more than tenfold to a level of $58 billion by 2006. Approximately 6,000 certified organic farms currently exist in the United States, with 15,000 more farms running organic trials. Over the next five years, farms experimenting with organic crop production are expected to increase by about 12% or 700 farms per year.

Fresh and Processed Organic Food

1-Fresh organic food:


Most of the organic food sold in the markets and various outlets is in the fresh form. Fruits, vegetables, meat, egg and dairy products fall under this category.

2.Processed organic food:

Processed food are widely popular and covers a huge range in any super market the world over. Various products such as canned foods, frozen vegetables and other ready-to-eat foods are labeled ‘organic’, if the production and processing of these foods have not involved the use of any chemicals and if they conform to the required standards. Needless to say these foods are usually more expensive than the non-organic ones.

It is important for the consumer to check for government certification before buying any food that claims to be “organic”.

There are basic organic standards for processing and handling.


Standards for the processing, handling and labeling of organic products cover all steps in the process from receiving organic raw materials, acceptable processing aids and ingredients, appropriate packaging materials and labeling, to cleaning methods, waste disposal and pest management at processing facilities.

The following highlights address some of the questions most frequently asked about the NOSB Recommendations for Organic Processing, Handling & Labeling Standards.

Organic Farming Delivers Healthier, Richer Soil and Nutritionally Enhanced Food

Six encouraging conclusions on the impacts of organic farming on soil quality and the nutritional content of food were reached by a panel of scientists participating in a symposium at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. A growing body of sophisticated research over the last decade has compared the impacts of organic and conventional farming systems on soil and food quality: Studies of apple production demonstrate that organically farmed soils display improved soil health as measured by increased biological diversity, greater soil organic matter, and improved chemical and physical properties. Enhancement of soil quality in organic apple production systems can lead to measurable improvements in fruit nutritional quality, taste, and storability. Organically farmed tomatoes have significantly higher levels of soluble solids and natural plant molecules called secondary plant metabolites, including flavonoids, lycopene, and Vitamin C. Most secondary plant metabolites are antioxidants, a class of plant compounds that have been linked to improved human health in populations that consume relatively high levels of fruit and vegetables.

Organic foods are proven to taste better and different than conventional grown foods. Organic foods not only taste better, but do not contain preservatives. The conventional milk, has expiration date around a few days, as opposed to the organic one which is around two weeks. The smell and the taste of organically grown tomatoes are also totally different.


Organic farms will continue to grow and produce more quality foods around the world. The healthier and long lasting life is connected with the consumption of more organic foods, which taste better than non-organic food.. The organic farms help to reduce chemicals that are used for produce their crops. That's the way to save the environment and the wild life of the world.

Why did we need the April 2001 regulations of organic foods?

In 1990 the Congress mandated that the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) create a national legal definition of "organic" that would provide reliable, uniform, enforceable standards for any food bearing the term "organic." This regulation is intended to prevent fraud and support our right to know what's in our food and how it's grown and processed.

In accordance with this mandate, the USDA adopted the first national standards regarding organic foods, which took effect in April, 2001, and farms and others had until October 2002 to fully comply to the new law for their products to be labeled as "Organic." State and private certifiers are accredited by the USDA to ensure that food processors and growers comply to the April 2001 standards.

Since October 2002, you can be certain that organically labeled products in all the states meet the federal standards. States can (and some do) have stricter standards than the federal government

Organic Foods In Demand, Despite Recession

World demand for organic foods is expected to grow by 46% over the five years endin 2012, despite the world economic crisis. This bullish outlook is contained in a United Nations Trade and Development Agency (UNCTAD) report.

World sales from certified organic products are expected to reach $67 billion in 2012, up from $46 billion in 2007 and about $23 billion in 2002. Some specialist organic retailers are experiencing consumer resistance to paying more for organics. But UNCTAD says many consumers have weighed the higher cost of organic food against its benefits - and they've decided organic foods are worth the extra cost.

Australian organic producers are recording record sales in many markets, with meat and dairy produce leading the way. Australian Certified Organic meat wholesaler Cleavers The Organic Meat Company, for instance, has just recorded its highest ever sales season for organic lamb. Organic lamb wholesalers have reported a sales jump of more than 20pc over the past two months.

Similarly, Alister Ferguson, national sales manager for the Australian Organic Meat Company says Australian consumers are staying loyal to organic beef. “In fact, the outlook for organic beef is rosy - the domestic retail market has grown by about 40pc in the past four months," he said. "And the lower dollar (in recent months) has strengthened export opportunities.

"Organic meat processors says they were pleasantly surprised - typically consumers switch to white meat over the holiday period included in the four months. "One explanation for increased beef sales could be that in the good times consumers became used to eating out at top-end restaurants, but tighter finances have resulted in more home-cooked meals. "Consumers, however, seem reluctant to give up the last vestiges of high-quality, gourmet food - they want something a bit more interesting than your standard meat and three vegetables."

What's so important about Organic Food ?

We maintain that organic foods are higher in vitamins and minerals than conventionally produced foods, because the soil has a greater variety of living organisms and trace minerals.

Organic produce is just as important for the societal benefits it brings as it is for the quality or health benefits of the food and these are:

Social and Environmental Benefits of Organic Food Production

Organic farmers have a strong commitment to their land. If they don't abuse the land, it will provide for them and their families for many years to come. They are far less likely to use the kind of agricultural processes which result in:

• loss of topsoil
• toxic runoff and resulting water pollution
• soil contamination and poisoning
• death of insects, birds, critters and beneficial soil organisms

Individual Benefits of Organic Food

Organic farmers use things like compost, rock dust, and kelp meal, which contain dozens of different trace minerals and soil builders. Organic farmers try to increase the number of beneficial soil organisms, rather than killing them.

Conventional farmers add mostly nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (the old N-P-K) to the soil, perhaps a little calcium or sulfur if needed. They rarely, if ever, add expensive secondary, tertiary or trace soil elements. Once a conventional farmer uses up the minerals endemic in his soil, which takes only a few crop rotations, the food subsequently produced is low or devoid of these nutrients.

According to the Environmental Working Group, the 12 most pesticide-laden fruits and vegetables are: (in order of toxicity)

1. Strawberries
2. Bell Peppers (tie)
3. Spinach (tie)
4. Cherries (USA)
5. Peaches
6. Cantaloupe (Mexico)
7. Celery
8. Apples
9. Apricots
10. Green Beans
11. Grapes (Chile)
12. Cucumbers

More Info about quality of Organic Foods

The organic farming and produce of organic foods has been prevalent from the time agriculture was first conceived. The natural way of growing crops started becoming unpopular and economically less feasible over time as more crop yields meant higher profits to the farmer and better utilization of the land. The farmers who used fertilizers started growing a couple of  crops during the same time-period, which fast tracked the industry of conventional foods.


Researchers investigated the amounts of  mineral levels of heavy metals such aluminum, cadmium, lead and mercury which was present in non-organic foods. Aluminum has been implicated for years in the development of Alzheimer's disease.

Its content in organic food averaged 40% less that in commercial foods. Lead toxicity, which has been in the news lately, can adversely affect our children's' IQ. It averaged 29% lower in organic foods. Mercury, which can cause neurological  damage, averaged 25% lower in organic foods" (Crinnion, Walter). The organic meat is healthier compared to the conventionally gown which is full of  antibiotics and many other chemicals for fast growing, which we consume by eating these foods. 

People consume more conventional food which cause more farmers to use pesticides and to double their crops. As we know, pesticides are dangerous for our environment and wild life. People should buy more organic foods and that in turn will lower the production of the conventional because of the demand.

That`s one of the ways to protect and save the environment and wildlife. Chemicals used,  kill different insects which are part of our ecosystem. Chemicals go from soil to the water reservoir and again back to us.

Organic labels and what they mean

"100% Organic"

Foods that are labeled as 100% Organic must contain all organically grown ingredients except for added water and salt.

"Organic"
Foods that are labeled as Organic need to contain at least 95% organic ingredients, except for added water and salt, plus they must not contain sulfites added as a preservative. Sulfites have been known to provoke allergies and asthma in some people. Up to 5% of the ingredients may non-organically produced.

"Made with Organic Ingredients"
Product labels that claim Made with Organic Ingredients need to contain at least 70% organic ingredients, except for added water and salt. They must not contain added sulfites, and up to 30% of the ingredients may be non-organically produced.

Food products made with less than 70% organic ingredients may state which ingredients are organic, but they can not claim to be organic food products.

Foods that are organically grown can state that fact on the label. This makes shopping easier for those of us who want to buy organic foods. It is important to understand exactly what organic labels mean.

Organic Food Basics

Organic food advocates maintain that organically grown foods are safer and more nutritious than foods raised with non-organic methods such as pesticides, non-organic fertilizers, antibiotics and hormones. Many people just don't trust these chemicals and don't want to put them into their bodies. Since virtually all non-organically produced foods contain residues of pesticides, fertilizers and other chemicals, the only way to avoid them is to buy organic foods.


Organic foods are becoming more available in supermarkets and there are numerous organic foods to choose from in stores that specialize in health foods.

Organically grown foods are becoming more popular as people worry more about the health and the safety of the food they eat. What is organic food? Where can you buy organic products.

There are many reasons to buy organic.

* It's better for the environment.
* No pesticides means healthier soil, water, and wildlife.
* Buying organic supports small farmers.
* Organic farmers can earn a fairer price for organic produce
   compared to factory farming.
* Organic farming is good for biodiversity.
* No pesticides means healthier soil, water, and wildlife.

* Buying organic supports small farmers.
* Organic farmers are growing a wide variety of non-genetically
   modified (non-GMO) fruits and vegetables.

With growing demand for Organic Food, the variety has increased substantially

Organic farmers can earn a fairer price for organic produce compared to factory farming. Organic farming is good for biodiversity.

With growing demand for Organic Food, the variety has increased substantially

WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF ORGANIC PRODUCTS?

Over and above the environmental benefits, the health benefits are notable! The hazards for human health of consuming products contaminated by harmful pesticides include increased risks of cancer, reproductive problems and neurological damage. Organically grown produce on the other hand is free of chemical residues, has a much higher vitamin content and is usually more flavoursome (which is why many top restaurants prefer to use organic ingredients).


In addition to the mental and emotional benefits of growing and eating organic food, there are also the physical benefits. These physical benefits can be boiled down to nutrients present in organic foods that are not in commercial foods and toxins not in organic foods that are present in commercial foods.

A recent article in the Journal of Applied Nutrition gave credence to the notion that organic foods have higher nutrient levels that non-organic food. In this study the mineral content of organic apples, pear, potatoes, wheat, and sweet corn were compared to commercial varieties. Overall the organic foods showed much higher levels of nutrient minerals and much lower levels of heavy metals.

When they studied organic food for mineral levels, the researchers also looked for the amount of the heavy metals aluminum, cadmium, lead and mercury. Aluminum has been implicated for years in the development of Alzheimer's disease.
 
It's content in organic food averaged 40% less that in commercial foods. Lead toxicity, which has been in the new a lot lately, can adversely affect our children's' IQ. It averaged 29% lower in organic foods. Mercury, which can cause neurologic damage, averaged 25% lower in organic foods.