What is Organic Food?Is organic food healthy? Yes. Does organic food just mean healthy food? no.
Organic food is simply a way of saying that the food was grown 'naturally' - that it was grown without the use of additives/preservatives, sewage sludge, pesticides, fertilizers, and radiation. It also means that the food was in no way altered genetically or grown according to certain modifications. The US Department of Agriculture supervises the classification of 'organic.' Why is organic food so popular? It gained popularity after people started to complain that agricultural crops were produced with too many chemicals, and therefore society needed a new way to consume food that was untouched by harmful compounds. Organic foods have higher nutritional value because the lack of antioxidants and pesticides creates plants that are more resistant to bug invasions. The United States uses 1.2 billion pounds of pesticides per year on crops. Needless to say, pesticides are chemical compounds - and this is slightly worrying, given that we eat fresh produce straight from the supermarket. Fertilizers aren't found in organic foods either; fertilizers are often made by scraps of toxic wastes and metals such as nickel, mercury, cadmium, chromium, lead, and arsenic. Sewage sludge is yet another supplement to fertilizers, which comes from semi-solid wastes and waste water treatment plants. There are over 3000 food additives in the industry - artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, and oils. These have harmful side effects on human bodies when taken in great amounts; some have been proved carcinogenic and harmful to allergies, the bones, and important glands. People consume about 4 pounds of food additives per year. Organic foods lack any sort of additives. Radiation is harmful to the nervous system and to the body. When used in food processing, it reduces the nutrient value of the food and causes damage to the body. Organic foods lack radiation. The debate about organic foods is ever-present. |
Pros and Cons of Eating OrganicHere are some advantages and disadvantages of eating organic food.
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