The Benefits of Organic Food for Health and The Environment

In our everyday life, we consume food, but we don’t know exactly where the food came from or how it was handled before purchased. Organic foods are said to; have fewer pesticides, have richer nutrients, are non- GMO, and organically raised animals are not fed animal byproducts, or given antibiotics. In the long term since they are also better for the environment and are proven to be fresher. All this evidence seems very captivating to switch to an organic health style, but why do so many people choose to stick to their regular supermarket produce and meat? 

When seeing an organic sticker on your food, it is questionable about what it took for that item to be considered organic. First, an organic system plan has to be developed also stating substances used during the growing or handling process, monitoring practices for organic systems, record-keeping systems, and barriers that prevent commingling with nonorganic products or contact with prohibited substances. Then a certifying agent from the USDA must review that the products meet all organic standards. Then the site of the organic product receives an inspection of the receiving, processing, storage areas, ingredients, and finished product. The inspector goes to the certifying agent to compare their data to the system plan and the inspector will bring up anything they think can be hazardous and risks of contamination. An inspection will be done at least once a year to the farm or facility. This thorough process takes about six to ten weeks. Which is why organic food can be more expensive.

Organically produced foods are estimated to cost about 10 to 30 cents more than mass-produced foods depending on season to season. The reason for this is because organic foods are produced in smaller quantities it can be more difficult for its produces to take advantage of the economies. The economies of scales help mass producers to bring large amounts of crops to market prices and this attracts consumers. Through not using pesticides or preservatives, organic produce is more prone to disease or insects. Therefore, they can loss more produce throughout the growth and transport process. The average American spends about 7,203 dollars a year on groceries. Predicting that all the groceries that one buys are organic; the year outcome will be about 9,580 dollars. This seems like a big difference but by simply cutting out something in your lifestyle it can be budgeted in. The health advantages outweigh the slight price increase.

Organic foods can also have a lot more health advantages than mass produced food do. Pesticides main job is to ward off inspects and harmful bacteria such as mold. Pesticides are in organic produce, but they are naturally-derived unlike synthetic pesticides. Synthetic pesticides are more likely to expose its consumers to cancers even when consumed in small amount. Organic foods are also advertised to be more nutrients, but it is often questioned if that is true. 'Across the important antioxidant compounds in fruits and vegetables, organic fruits and vegetables deliver between 20 and 40 percent higher antioxidant activity,' says Charles Benbrook, from Washington State University's Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources, a co-author of the study. Charles Benbrook states in his studies, that health experts advise for individuals to eat more fruits and vegetables so their bodies can receive more antioxidants and by eating organically that is a great way to get the nutrients. GMO are genetically modified organisms meaning that their genetic material is artificially modified in a laboratory through genetic engineering. The reason that it is encouraged for consumers to stay away from genetically modified organisms is because they is not long term studies at it so scientists do not know if it is safe or not. There has not yet be any report on harm that genetically modified food has on the body but consumers should eat with caution and make to thoroughly wash there produce and meat before eating them.

Antibiotics are used on live stock to ensure that they do not get diseases from the often-unhygienic places they are kept and to aid them in their growth processes. In European countries and Canada there is a ban on sub-therapeutic use of antibiotics because there is great concern of drug-resistant bacteria, yet in the Unites States this is legal. The thing that many scientists are worried about when it comes to antibiotic is that some strains of bacteria are capable of not responding to standard antibiotics that can result in life-threating illness. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) by even just using small doses of non-therapeutic antibiotics in animal livestock, “contributes to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in food-producing animals. These resistant bacteria can contaminate the foods that come from those animals, and persons who consume these foods can develop antibiotic-resistant infections.” The effects can also be that these bacteria can travel through water supply and the environment itself. The CBC states that 2 million people are infected by antibiotic resistant bacteria and 23,000 people die from it.

In a long-term sense, organic agriculture has many benefits to the environment. The main goal for agro-ecosystem is to be able to create produce while also being able to create an ecological balance. This ecological balance is represented through soil and water quality, air and climate change. Practices like crop rotations, inter-cropping, symbiotic associations, cover crops, organic fertilizers and minimum tillage are necessary for organic practices. These techniques can improve soil structure and create stronger systems. Through organic agriculture, there is a major reduce in nonrenewable energy and this is done by decreasing the use of agrochemical needs. Many reseachers have claimed that organic agriculture has been proven to contribute to global warming anf the green house effect because of its carbon rich soil. Organic soil is very plentiful with the release of carbon into its soil, which raises productivity. However, there is much reseach that is needed to e done here. The reasech is limited to organic carbon stocks. These stocks are not that reliable because there re so many factors that go into them.

There is always conversation of if an organic life style is truly worth the struggle, and statics show that is can pay off in the long run. From going to the grocery store and look at a fruit or vegetable is easy to question in someone just put an organic sticker on it, or if it was actually organically grown. To be certified organics the producers have t go through a long process, so that the USDA can confirm that the produce is grown in an organic way. Yes, organic food can sometimes cost almost ## percent more than ehat mass produced foods many cost, but the benefits outweigh this. The benefits include the health advantages organic consumers have. Organic food is sure to have little use of pesticides, richer nutrients, and are non-GMO. Organic livestock are not fed animal bypass or are not given antibiotics. And have long term effects on helping the environment. By swapping to an organic life style you can improve your health without even realizing it.