The average person in America living on a non organic diet is exposed to nearly 10,000 pounds of chemical additives and preservatives by the time they reach age 65. Now, most people who don’t believe in eating organic food will claim that chemicals in food are in such small amounts that they wont hurt us. Every person has a different perspective on what a ‘’small amount” might be, but I can hardly think that anyone would admit that 10,000 pounds is a small amount. Medical Doctor Joan Morgan points out that ”Last year each of us, on average, swallowed three pounds of flavorings, coloring, preservatives, glazes, anti spattering agents, emulsifiers, bleaches, and other additives with our food.”

Chemicals such as additives, pesticides, and preservatives are believed to interfere with healthy enzyme activity. Enzymes are molecules that are responsible for making sure cellular processes are carried out properly and effectively. Most vitamins themselves are parts of enzymes. Once the body consumes a vitamin, the vitamin usually comes together with other vitamins, minerals and molecular structures to form a fully functioning enzyme.

The bad news is that the body doesn’t really ignore some substances and react to others. Most people think this is true but human cells don’t casually turn away and ignore chemical additives, and only become chummy with the nutrients. Non organic food has chemicals mixed into the molecular structure of the food. If chemicals weren’t distributed throughout the molecular structure there wouldn’t be any point to using them. The EU cancer prevention organization admitted in June 2009 that they were looking to prevent cancer by controlling all aspects of chemical contact with the human body. Countries such as Norway, Sweden and Germany have already banned the use of several food dyes and colorings that are still in use in the U.S. Other European countries are also cracking down and banning more and more chemical additives and preservatives.

Many people still argue that the health benefits of eating organic food don’t exist, but people seem to be ignoring those arguments because there are alot of positives that circulate around organic food. Here are some benefits of going organic:

1. Organic and bio dynamic farmers use methods that don’t strip the soil nearly as much as conventional methods do. Their methods differ from conventional ones because they give back to the soil nutrient quality. This is very important to keeping the soil nutrient rich, which will keep our produce nutrient rich.
2. Little to no pesticide residue. There has been evidence linking pesticides to harmful effects on the body.
3. Eating organic supports and maintains a healthy digestive tract because processed foods have been stripped of the natural fiber responsible for making a person have regular bowel movements.
4. Overall better health because the previously mentioned benefits will help support and maintain good health.

So is organic food beneficial to the individual? The answer is yes. The issue of whether they are more nutritious leads to a rather nasty, heated debate most of the time, but I will say that studies conducted in the UK and several European scientific institutions did find higher amounts of nutrients in organic food than regular food. The studies were made known to the public in a Times Online UK article in 2007. But in the end it really boils down to a matter of choice when is comes to making the change.Despite the naysayers and their passionate attempts to claim that organic food is worthless, the amount of people consuming organic food and raising a family on it seems to be growing with tremendous strength and speed.

How Are Organic Foods Produced?

Produced in organic farms, these foods are grown under stern supervision and guidelines and are packaged and grown without using any pesticides, man-made fertilizers, preservatives, artificial colorings and other chemicals. Non-organic products are subjected to various chemicals, which are usually not thoroughly studied so that their effects over the consumers’ body can be understood and contemplated. These chemicals may be linked to anything from some types of cancer to food allergies.

Benefits Of Consuming Organic Food

One of the main advantages of consuming organic food is that these food products are not at all subjected to any unreliable substances. Dairy and meat products prepared under organic principles are also free from any form of chemicals. Non-organic agricultural farmers usually subject the livestock to various chemical supplements designed for speeding their weight and growth. Further, cows in the dairies are given chemicals for increasing their milk productivity.

As per the guidelines for organic foods, the livestock is reared without using any antibiotics or growth hormones and are not genetically modified in any way. The benefits of organic foods are that the livestock are given only organic feed which is free from chemicals and supplements.

Another advantage of consuming organic food is its friendliness to the environment. The non-organic foods are treated through chemicals, which are responsible to change the landscape and contaminate the surrounding ground and water supplies. The ground in which organic food is grown experiences no changes. Making commitment towards using organic foods will make you healthy as the benefits of organic foods lie in enjoying natural whole foods free of chemicals.

As the benefits of organic foods are long lasting and varied to the environment, the decision for going organic is responsible and a healthy one.

In several countries, the producers of organic foods need to get an organic certification so that they can advertise their food products as organic. Chemical free food products are not able to cure any existing illness but are believed to reduce the risks of intoxication of the body, thereby leading to lesser health related problems. The market of organic foods has been fast developing, as the customers are becoming increasingly health conscious and aware about the after effects of pesticides and chemical fertilizers used in crops on their health.

Virtually, everyone may agree that organic vegetables, fruits, fish and meats are preferred to non-organic foods grown with insecticides, fungicides and chemical fertilizers. At present, non-organic food growers are allowed to make use of more than 1000 chemicals upon their crops, which may heavily lead to soil erosion because of over-farming to the dangerous toxics running off into drinking water.

Organic production yields are often lower because the farms do not involve the use of artificial fertilizers, pesticides and other technological aids. Also, labor intensity is greater and many organic farms are smaller than conventional farms, thus missing economies of scale. However, in the last decade, responding to the growing demand, mainstream grocers are stocking more organic produce, milk, baby food, and meats, while healthy-food chains have opened dozens of stores. Many people are prepared to accept the extra cost and pay the extra money largely on the grounds that they believe organic foods are more nutritious and safer than foods produced by conventional methods, and are be less harmful to the environment and to food producers. Generally, it is believed that organic production reduces health risks and especially for pregnant women and children, the benefits of organic are worth the higher price. Going organic whenever possible for fruits and vegetables that carry the heaviest pesticide load makes sense for these vulnerable groups of consumers. Some suspect that high doses of pesticides can cause neurological or reproductive damage. With infant reproductive organs still forming and the brain developing and with young immune systems less able to rid bodies of contaminants, eating organic is more important for children and pregnant or breast-feeding women. Furthermore, levels of antioxidants potentially important substances in human nutrition in addition to vitamins and minerals have generally been reported to be higher in organic foods. This may be because these natural chemicals are produced to protect the plant against insect pests, and organic crops have less pesticide protection. Another theory is that the faster growth in artificially fertilized crops causes the plant to concentrate resources for growth rather than production of these antioxidants. An additional argument used in support of organic food is that it ‘tastes better’. A report by the highly respected Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) concludes that organically grown (golden delicious) apples were found to be firmer and received higher taste scores than conventionally grown apples. Another study showed that organic tomatoes were sweeter and organic carrots had more “carrot taste”.

While the emerging information so far does suggest higher levels of some nutritional components in organic food, the basis for human health advantages of consuming organic foods has to be further developed. Many nutritionists say that a well-formulated diet, organic or not, is all that is required for sufficient intake of health-giving nutrients. Supporters of organic food argue that with consistent consumption, even small advantages could be significant over time. This can only be answered by appropriately controlled scientific studies in human populations, which are difficult to accomplish. Assessing the health and environmental benefits of any system requires a full life-cycle analysis with evaluation of benefits and impediments at each stage. For example, although organic agriculture clearly has benefits in preservation of wildlife and habitat, results in less environmental pollution and preserves soil fertility, critics argue that there are also disadvantages compared to conventional food production. As two examples, mechanical energy inputs are greater in organic production and zero-till agriculture, which uses herbicides, may be more environmentally friendly than the mechanical weed control used in organic cultivation. In any case, more sophisticated analyses of the nutritional quality of conventional versus organic foods is required in animal foods as well as plant foods before a more definitive answer is available. Even though organic production is not a perfect solution in science or practice, it will probably always be around, because it adds to the choices available to those consumers who more conscious about the health and safety of food production systems.