Organic

      Organic foods are a very up and coming item.   There are many pros to using organic versus non-organic foods.  Organic foods use no chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, additives or preservatives.  Farmers that grow organic do not participate in GM (genetic modification) programs.  Research indicates that organic foods contain more nutrients, taste better, are more satisfying and contains no hydrogenated fat which can contribute to cardiac disease.  Organic foods have been proven to be more environmental friendly and are healthier for the people and animals that are ingesting the foods.  

       Organic means that the food has been grown on land that has been chemical free for at least three years without the use of pesticides and they must be processed and packaged without the use of artificial preservatives, colorings or any other additives. Organic farming does not pose the threat of pesticide and chemical run-off which may contaminate watersheds and drinking water. These farms tend to maintain richer, more sustainable soil through the use of cover crops, crop rotations, composts, have slowed soil erosion and vary the nutrient demands on the soil. The food has more nutritional value than non-organic food and contains lower levels of heavy metals.

      Despite the increased nutritional value of organic foods, there are some cons to consuming organic foods. Manure used in organic compost may be more harmful than the health risks related to pesticides and chemicals used on non-organic farms. Manure often contains E. coli bacterium, which can spread harmful animal diseases to humans. Furthermore, organic foods are not producible at the same rate as non-organic foods. Organic farming methods often produce lower yields than modern intensive methods. This is why food grown organically can often cost twice as much as food grown on non-organic farms and have increased spoilage rates. If large farms started replacing modern farming methods with organic methods, the world may see a food shortage emerge. Because of the lower production rate, increased spoilage rate and increased cost organic foods may not be affordable for many family budgets.

      My concern about organic foods is some products may be sold as organic when they have not been raised organically. The USDA does certify organic foods, but the product is not ensured to be chemical free and the grower must be honest in their farming techniques. My personal preference is go organic because it’s better for the environment.

Reade, Candis. Ezarticles.com, 2012. Web. 15 Nov. 2012. .