Pros And Cons Of Organic Food

All the fuss about organic food being beneficial or not is a hotly disputed topic. Speaking basics, organic food has several benefits over non-organic food. Produced without the use of any chemical toxins such as pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, organic foods do not contain artificial preservatives and are, definitely, not genetically modified. Not only do they keep us away from consuming chemical laden produce and meat, but organic foods are good for the environment as well. However, including organic food into our lifestyle means changing eating habits completely. Now, you would be wondering that with so many benefits of eating organic foods, are there any associated hazards of consuming the same? All in all, organic food is natural and healthy, but expensive and not easily available. Check out the various advantages and disadvantages of organic food.

Organic Food Advantages

Organic foods largely contribute towards preserving and conserving the natural environment. Foodstuffs are produced and harvested without using chemicals and synthetic means. Also, the process of farming and harvesting is reduced to a large extent, thereby resulting in fewer pollutants in the soil. This, in turn, gives the farmers a richer soil with stronger topsoil, hence, preventing soil erosion and boosting healthier crops.
Researches indicate that foods produced through organic methods are relatively more nutritious and healthier as compared to the conventionally produced food. This is basically due to the absence of pesticides and insecticides in the production of organic foods. Thus, crops produce more photochemicals, such as antioxidants and vitamins, enabling the crops to resist bugs and weeds.
The absence of chemicals in the production of organic foods helps in supporting a healthy biodiversity. By allowing a wide range of plants and animals to survive, organic farming leads to a healthier and more balanced ecosystem.
Pesticides found in the non-organic food interact with our body leading to various health conditions, right from headaches to birth defects to even cancer. Although experts suggest that the chemicals found in conventionally-produced foods are safe, even low levels of these chemicals are found to affect the health of a developing fetus and young kids.
The best part about consuming organic foods is that they are free from hydrogenated fats as opposed to processed non-organic foods. Hydrogenated fats have been a major cause behind heart diseases. Hence, organic foods assist in keeping a healthy heart.

Organic Food Disadvantages

Organic food is likely to spoil faster than non-organic food, since it is not served with artificial preservatives and exposed to radiation. This turns true especially in the case of fruits and vegetables.
Organic foods are exceptionally very expensive as compare to non-organic food. To add on, organic food can be as costly as three to four times more than the non-organic produce. Though this demerit is still being debated, consumers are ready to pay more for health food. Moreover, the organic food industry is, undoubtedly, making huge profits.
Although organic food is believed to be inherently healthier than its non-organic produce, the UK’s Consumers’ Association has found no associated health benefits of consuming organically-produced food.
Most of the people are of the opinion that production and cultivation of organic food eliminates the use of all chemicals. However, this is not entirely true as some amount of chemicals is permitted to be used for producing organic foods.
Though the production of organic foods has increased exponentially, but the market is still relatively small when compared to non-organic food. As a result, organic foods are not available everywhere. While they can be looked on in local grocery shops, the selections are limited to only a few fruits and veggies.

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