Why is Organic food better?

Question

I am opting to change my families diet to an organic one but due to my food bill doubling as a result I'd really like some reassurance & information about why this would be a good move & why it is worth paying the extra money to eat organic.

Answer 1

I just read an article about this. (See link below.) Organic can be a misleading term. It is supposed to be a healthier choice for you because it is grown naturally (i.e. without chemical pesticides, or without being genetically altered in any way). But is it really a better choice? Well, not necessarily so, from an environmental point of view. If your food (organic or otherwise) is being imported to your area, then there is a heavy toll to be paid in air quality and usage of fossil fuel. For instance, apples trucked from Washington state travel an average of 1,700 miles before arriving at their destinations. That translates to 1 cup of gasoline used to haul a single apple. That's a lot of gas for an apple, organic or otherwise! So, the food may be better for you, but not necessarily better for the environment overall. And not better for your wallet, as you pay the travel costs for all that importing.

The best thing to do is buy produce grown by your local farmers. They use real fertilizer (in other words, poo-poo) to grow food, and a very limited amount (if any) chemical pesticides. Plus, the local stuff has the advantage of being picked RIPE...anything that is hauled in a truck is picked unripe in order to ensure it's still "fresh" by the time it reaches your market. Something to think about.

Local is organic (or nearly so...some farmers use limited pesticides, or use natural ones) so it's better for you. Plus, because it's local, there are no shipping costs that trickle down to you. Healthy AND less expensive. Talk to your farmers at the market. Ask questions about their growing practices.

Answer 2

Less chemicals. I want my family eating better too, so my first big change was organic milk. Its quite a bit more expensive where I live, but I think its worth it. I'm hoping my kids will make it to 12 before they hit puberty! The steroids in milk is the biggest reason I switched. I really don't want my 9 year old to start menstrating on me. The longer she can be a kid, the better in my book.

The best advice I can give you is to decide what is most important. For me it was the milk, and limiting red meats. Do one thing at a time, so the huge cost won't overwhelm you. My other big change was wheat bread. Organic milk and wheat bread might not be big to some people, but it was a big change for us. I've also tried to replace afternoon snacks with fruit only choices. Start with one thing at a time, and go from there.

Answer 3

Most organic foods have a spray on them until washed because of the pests. You have to have a spray or powder to keep the pests off because if not, your produce will be harmed. They aren't the type of sprays the farmers that sell to the stores use, but they are needed to keep out the unwanted visitors. Not all organic food is good for you, just like not all food that is sprayed is good for you. Research on your own. Talk to your local farmers about it. Talk to health nutritionists about it. That's where you'll get a better and right answer other than asking the public who may and the public who may not know the reason why we have sprays and GMO's going on our foods. Not everything is bad. Organic or GMO, both have good and bad in them.

Answer 4

Organic is better but not necessary when it comes to ceratin foods. I have a 16 month old daughter and am on a very strict budget. I also did a lot of research on nutrition and organic foods. I only buy organic foods that are in the "dirty dozen" list and then again not all the time. The "dirty dozen" are fruits and vegetables that still contain large amounts of pesticides after washing. I also feed her organic meats and dairy products. In a way I am thankful that she does not like meat that much so she gets a lot of her protein and iron from beans.

Here's a link to "the dirty dozen"

http://www.foodnews.org/walletguide.php

Answer 5

Organic food is unprocessed and natural, so basically it doesnt contain any manmade chemicals that have actually proven to harm human health. But then the human body is fairly adaptive...and most of the world lives happily on processed food. Personally i dont think organic food really makes a difference, but then its upto you. I'm not speaking from personal experiece either, i've never tried organic food...so my advice doesnt really count for much. You should refer to people that have changed thier diet to an organic one, and weight the health benifits against the extra cost.

Answer 6

Non-organic foods are sprayed with pesticides, which could build up inside you. And GM foods have had their DNA tampered with. If you eat it too much which may cause effects in the long time. We don't know for sure but many people don't want to take the risk

Answer 7

I don't do Organic, but it is a good idea if you can afford it. Everything is natural. There are no preservatives, no chemicals at all. All produce is clean and has not had any "help" with growth. Give it a try, you can always go back to old products if you want to later! Good luck!

Answer 8

organic food is grown naturally (without chemicals and preservatives) i myself switched to organic and yes your food bill does increase but after awhile you notice a change in the way u feel-eating good and natural foods is the way to go-

Answer 9

Well it is actually very helpful.Because there are no chemicals applied and they are almost fresh.The nain point is NO CHEICALS which are mostly found in other types of foods.And it also helps bloo circulation.BUT make sure u have enough protein for energy...GOOD LUCK

Answer 10

There are no compounds in natural food that are hard for your body to break up. They are all natural and easier for your body to digest. That helps your weight, metabloism, and stamina.