Ranch Organic Garden
A Foodie’s Evolution: Five Reasons to Eat Organic Part 2
In part 1 of this post, I shared with you my deep appreciation for food, its preparation and its presentation. Equally important, though, is the food’s journey—how it got to my plate and how it reaches yours. How safe is the food you and your family consume? The recent listeria outbreak, caused by contaminated cantaloupe, in addition to the E. coli scare from tainted beef, are just two examples of why we must remain vigilant about food safety. Here are five reasons to consider organic:
1.) It’s another way you can be proactive in taking control of your health.
A common argument for not buying organic food is the price. Many people say they simply can’t afford to purchase organic food for their family. Another way to look at it might be, “Can I afford the loss of pay if I’m out of work sick for a few days?” “Can I afford the long-term costs of medical bills and increased insurance costs when illness might have been prevented through a chemical-free diet?” See point number five below for more information about the costs of organic food.
2.) USDA Certified organic food is not genetically modified.
According to the Alliance for Natural Health, though the consequences of eating genetically modified (GM) foods is not yet known, there are dangerous implications to having genetically engineered genes permanently living inside of us, such as the creation of antibiotic-resistant diseases or transference of toxins inserted into GM foods from a pregnant woman to the fetus.
These aren’t the only dangers of GM foods. On the website organicisworthit.org, Robyn O’Brien, former food industry analyst and author of the book “The Unhealthy Truth: How Our Food Is Making Us Sick and What We Can Do About It,” makes a correlation between the dangers in our food supply and the sudden increase in the rates of allergies, autism, ADHD and asthma in American children. According to O’Brien, products that are not labeled USDA Organic may potentially contain novel proteins and allergens created in the process of genetic engineering.
3.) Organic farming is better for the environment than conventional systems.
A 30-year, side-by-side study conducted by the Rodale Institute provides evidence that, “for soil health alone, organic agriculture is more sustainable than conventional.” The report asserts “…when yields, economic viability, energy usage, and human health are considered, organic farming is sustainable, while current conventional practices are not.”
4.) You benefit from happy, healthy, stress-free livestock.
If you read part 1 of this post where I referenced the documentary, “Food Inc.,” you know that all farms and ranches are not created equal. “Food Inc.” exposed unconscionable conditions for livestock—particularly chickens—stuck in overcrowded, cramped feeding lots. By law, organic farmers must provide their animals with access to the outdoors and pasture so they can freely roam about. They must also provide animals with 100% organic feed and safe, clean, cage-free living conditions. Just so you know, Rocky Mountain Organic Meats encourages customers to visit the ranch and experience the wonderfully humane life the cattle live.
5.) You’ll empower yourself.
Besides eating delicious, healthful food, you’ll be an educated advocate for yourself, your family and others who don’t understand what the organic movement is all about. Not only can you reduce your family’s exposure to potential allergens by choosing organic foods whenever possible, but you will increase your knowledge of the connection between farmers, organic crops, chemicals and government.
On the website organicisworthit.org, Robyn O’Brien says “… taxpayer dollars are being used to support farmers that grow crops with chemicals, while farmers that grow crops without the use of synthetic ingredients are charged a fee to prove that their crops are free of these ingredients. Then those same farmers are charged a fee to label these crops as having adhered to this higher standard, and at the same time, are not offered the same crop insurance and marketing assistance programs. In other words, the way the food production cost structure is set up now, it is cheaper to produce food using chemicals than without them. That means it’s also cheaper to buy foods made with chemicals.”
Now that you have five good reasons to eat organic, will you?
{ 0 comments }
