The need to live and adopt a healthier lifestyle has resulted in consumers shifting to organic foods. Organic foods are a healthier choice because unlike conventional foods, they are free from chemicals and toxic pesticides used in farming. The following are more reasons why you should start eating organic foods today.
Safe For You And Your Family
Farmers have been known to use a combination of pesticides and chemicals to boost productivity in their farms. Processed foods can weaken your child’s immune system, resulting in more allergies and hyperactivity.
When you choose to consume organic food, you completely eliminate chemicals in your foods. Furthermore, organic foods are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, making these products a better option for both you and your family.
Increased Nutrient Contents
Most people opt for organic food because of the health benefits associated with these foods. Organic fruits and vegetables are packed with nutrients that help cleanse and detoxify your body. When you as a consumer stops ingesting food filled with chemicals, your immunity strengthens and you will have a healthier body.
Protect Against Diseases
Organic foods are produced free of chemicals and pesticides. While most processed food company use chemical preservatives to ensure their products last longer, look better or taste nicer, organic farmers use environmentally friendly farming as a way of ensuring consumers reap the full benefits of the natural food itself.
Processed foods high in sugar, fat, and chemicals have over the years been linked to diseases such as various types of cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and even birth defects. The EPA has claimed that 60% of weed eliminator chemicals can cause cancer. Since organic foods are free from these chemicals, consumption of organic food reduces the risk of contracting these diseases.
Environmentally Friendly
Farmers who use pesticides and chemical fertilizers in their farms are putting both the consumer and environment at risk. These chemicals not only affect the food that we eat, but also the soil and nearby fields and water.
In addition, the number of organic farmers is relatively small today. Consuming organic foods ensures the survival of small to medium business farmers compared to large corporations who engage in farming purely to maximize profits.
Eliminates Farm Pollution
Organic farmers tend to grow their crops in a manner that prevents soil erosion. Since organic foods are grown free from pesticides and fertilizers, no harmful chemicals such as lead or excess fertilizers are introduced to the soil. Excess fertilizers are harmful because they are present in water run-off from the soil, and the water flows to rivers and water bodies which can affect the overall balance.
Better Tasting
Organic foods taste better and more natural than processed foods. Today’s farmers use chemicals and pesticides to kill bacteria in the food. However, not all bacteria present in fruits and vegetables are harmful. In fact, bacteria present during the growth of food helps produce better quality foods in future which taste better and more natural.
Prevents Soil Erosion
Excessive use of chemicals has resulted in the death of microorganism found in soil. This organism help in maintaining soil profile and ensures the healthy growth of plants. Organic farmers use cultivating methods that do not harm the soil, preventing soil erosion from occurring.
Crop Diversity
Organic farming is characterized by crop rotation and forage crops. Crop rotation has the ability to eliminate pests when a non-host crop is planted. Therefore, many organic farmers and gardeners grow different varieties of seeds.
Crop diversity is important because it strengthens the wide variety of food species, reduces pest resistance, improves soil structure and soil fertility.
Biodiversity
Organic farming has resulted in greater biodiversity. Most organic farmers practice mixed-crop farming together with livestock keeping. This method has resulted in a greater abundance of species as compared to conventional farming.
One of the reasons for pest control problems is due to a lack of genetic diversity. This is because plants respond to stress such as pests differently based on their genetics.
Flexibility in response to these stresses is greater when there is more genetic diversification. The use of biological and management practices by organic farmers to manage fertility and pest encourage both habitat heterogeneity and floral diversity. Such practices include inter-cropping, crop rotation, green manuring and composting.
Appreciate Agriculture
While most people can’t get through a day without eating, they barely know the process it takes for farmers to grow food. They also view farming as less of a job when compared to an office job where one gets to put on a suit in an air-conditioned environment.
Organic farmers use this slow but healthier way of farming as a way to ensure high-quality food products. Therefore, eating organic food serves as an act of appreciating the hard work that the farmers go through for the benefit of both ourselves and the environment.
