Is Organic Really Better?
Organic, unadulterated wholefoods have formed the basis of human diet through the ages. Only now has the human race been subjected to countless man-made chemicals found in food and the environment.
Eating foods that provide a balanced amount of nutrients is required to keep the body in perfect balance. A good deal of energy is wasted trying to disarm alien and often-toxic chemicals – some of which cannot be eliminated and accumulate in body tissue. Choosing organic foods whenever possible is the nearest we can get to eating a pure diet today. By supporting the organic movement, we help to minimise the damage of chemical pollution, which poses a real threat to the future of humanity. I might sound dire but it is the truth.
Raw, organic food is the most natural and beneficial way to take food into the body. It is especially important to buy organic fruit where you eat the skin. Almost and every non-organic edible fruit-skin has been sprayed. The surface area is vast, and many fruits (think apples) are found to contain large amounts of organophosphate fertilisers. If you cannot find or afford organic then you must wash them (even this only partially helps since the chemicals get into the fruit).
In straightforward nutritional analyses, organic food tends to have more in it, both in terms of dry weight and nutrients (see chart below). This is because organically grown produce must be grown in enriched soil and because modern methods of farming with agrochemicals can speed up the growth of a plant, changing its structure to be more full of water. In other words, although it may still look like a carrot you could be buying less food.
The average price difference between organic produce and non-organic produce is around 20 per cent (sometimes higher, sometimes lower). Organic produce was found, on average, to contain 26 per cent more dry matter (less water) — therefore actually making it cheaper to buy organic. This is why non-organic produce tends to shrink more on cooking as its high water content evaporates.
Comparison of Organic vs Non-Organic Produce
Component Mean % increase in organic produce vs non-organic produce
- Dry matter +26%
- Potassium +13%
- Calcium +56%
- Magnesium +49%
- Iron +290%
- Copper +34%
- Manganese +28%
- Protein +12%
- Essential amino acids +35%
- Nitrates +69%
- Phosphorous +6%
Organic food’s strength also lies in what it doesn’t contain. This stretches well beyond excluding agricultural chemicals such as fertilisers and pesticides, to prohibition of artificial preservatives, colours, sweeteners, residual antibiotics, hydrogenated fats, processing aids and meaningless starches. There is, in fact, only food in organic food (I am not talking about packaged organic food which is sneaky and should be avoided).
One of the most amazing things that I have noticed regarding organic food is the taste. Have you even purchased wonderful looking tomatoes from the store only to find them totally tasteless? That is actually one of my pet peeves. I have found almost exclusively that organic food tastes better than commercially grown produce. It has more nutrients and our bodies recognize that. It is the nutrients that give fresh whole food its distinct taste.
As always remember to: Train Hard, Eat Well, and Smile!
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