Is Going Organic Worth It?

Organic foods are becoming so popular now that they are becoming mainstream. The question is--what are the benefits of organic foods--and are they worth the extra 40% to 150% you will have to pay?

Claims Made for Organic Foods

All sorts of claims being are made for organic foods being better than non-organically grown foods. Now more than ever, with the economy struggling and many re-evaluating how to spend their food dollars--we need to take a closer look at these foods and their benefits.

What is an "Organic" Food?

The "organic" label identifies foods grown with practices that:

* Don't use synthetic pesticides, herbicides and soil fumigants
* Don't use genetic engineering or irradiation in food production
* Don't use sewage sludge as fertilizer
* Don't use antibiotics and growth hormones in meat and poultry
* Use 100% organic feed for livestock
* Improve the quality and fertility in soil
* Protect the water quality
* Reduce soil erosion
* Rely on biological systems for pest and weed control
* Reduce the impact of agriculture on the environment.

Do any of these benefits appeal to you? It just seems to make sense to use organic foods when possible. Here are the main categories for reasons people choose to buy organic:

1. Better health: Since organic food is not prepared using chemical fertilizers and pesticides, it contains little or no traces of these strong chemicals which can affect the human body. There are mixed studies on whether organic foods contain more nutrients, but some newer studies show they are higher in certain nutrients and phytochemicals.

2. Better taste: People strongly believe that organic food tastes better than non organic food. The prominent reason for this belief is that it is produced using organic means of production. Further organic food is often sold locally resulting in availability of fresh produce in the market.

3. Environment safety: As harmful chemicals are not used in organic farming, there is minimal soil, air and water pollution; thus ensuring a safe world for future generations to live in.

4. Animal welfare: Animal welfare is an important aspect of producing organic milk, organic meat, organic poultry, and organic fish. People feel happy that the animals are not confined to a miserable caged life while eating organic animal products.

How do you know if a food is organic? Here is a guideline set up by the USDA in 2002 to help consumers know the exact organic content of the food they buy:

* 100% Organic: All of the product's content is certified organic and may display the USDA Organic seal on the label.
* Organic: At least 95% of the product's content is certified organic. These products may also display the USDA Organic seal on the label.
* Made with Organic Ingredients: At least 70% of the product's content is certified organic. Up to 3 ingredients can be listed on the label with the phrase "made with organic."
* Products containing less than 70% organic content may only identify the organic ingredients in the listing on the label.

But Is It Worth the Cost?

Up until a few years ago, organic foods cost considerably more than conventionally grown foods. But as consumers have demanded more organic foods, more producers have switched to organic methods, and economies of scale have improved--making organic foods less costly--sometimes only marginally more than non-organic foods. More consumers are shopping at stores like Whole Foods Market, which have exclusively natural and organic foods, and traditional grocery stores now have either "organic" sections, or organic foods interspersed all through their stores. Some even have their own line of organic foods.

Since more people are actually buying the organic foods in the stores, their turnover has increased dramatically, making them fresher for you when you purchase. So overall, it makes more sense financially to buy organically today than ever before.

Beyond Organics

So are organic foods ALWAYS healthier than non-organic foods? NO! Just because a food is organic, doesn't mean it is always the healthier choice. Why? Because there are some organic foods that are so processed, they have less nutrition than conventional foods. They fool shoppers with the "organic" label, making them think it is a healthier and more nutritious food. It could be high in fat or sodium, and have "0" percent of the key nutrients as listed on the label.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is that is you STILL have to read the label, beyond the word "organic" to get the overall nutritional value of the food in question. "Nutrient-density," the amount of nutrition per calorie is a critical measure you can use to tell if a food is a good one overall for health and longevity. One way to do this is to read the food label and make sure the calories per serving are low, around 100-300 maximum, and that it has at least 5-10% of the Recommended Daily Values of nutrients for at least 3 of the nutrients listed.

If a food is organic and meets the nutrient-density criteria, then you can be assured it is likely to be one that will help increase your overall health and longevity.

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