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.

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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.

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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.