There are some sound reasons you might choose to buy organic foods. But before we discuss these, it’s worth clarifying what the term means.
What is organic?
Organic foods have been grown or farmed without conventional pesticides, synthetic fertilisers, hormones, non-routine antibiotics or genetically-modified organisms (GMOs). They are grown using natural fertilisers and weed control methods, and pesticides that utilise natural compounds with pest-repellent properties. Also, when a food is labelled “organic,” it shouldn’t contain chemical food additives like artificial sweeteners, colourants, flavourants and preservatives.
In addition, there will be a requirement by the certifying body that the farmer employ humane animal-rearing practices. Organically-raised animals should experience healthy living conditions and have free-ranging access to the outdoors with the chance to graze as much as possible. They should be given organic feed and, according to general organic regulations, should experience minimal and humane transportation to approved abattoirs.
The labels “free-range” and “hormone-free” have a different meaning Free-range simply means that the animal has had access to natural light for a portion of its day (this could mean just a few minutes). Similarly, hormone-free doesn’t necessarily mean the animal was fed natural foods, or that they weren’t routinely given antibiotics, it just means they weren’t given hormones.
Why buy it?
In 2012, a meta-analysis by Stanford University showed that eating organic food reduced your exposure to pesticides by around 30 percent, and in meat-eating, lowered your risk of infection by antibiotic-resistant bacteria by 33 percent.(1)
Certified organic food also doesn’t allow GMO inclusion. Research has shown that consuming GM foods can damage the pituitary gland and the gut lining, lead to alterations in the reproductive hormones, and may trigger breast, ovarian, colon, testicular and prostate cancers. In addition GMO particles appear to be able to make their way into our organs, which affects gene expression. A bigger issue is that GM seeds cannot reproduce, and so farmers become dependent upon the biotech companies that “create” them. This leaves food security dangerously in the hands of a few corporations.
Overall, organic farming contributes to better soil and water quality and a reduction in pollution; a more humane approach to livestock rearing and support for a more natural, self-sustaining ecosystem; and elimination of the risk of GMOs. These reasons alone mean it’s worth supporting, but combined with the positive impact on our health make buying organic food a wise decision.
Resources:
1. https://annals.org/aim/article-abstract/1355685/organic-foods-safer-healthier-than-conventional-alternatives-systematic-review