“Don’t put that in your mouth!” Many of us remember our parents saying those very words whenever we would try to sample some odd find, whether it was a toy, rock or plain old dirt. Nowadays, more and more people are saying just that in regards to fruits and vegetables grown the conventional way, and saying yes to organically grown produce. From healthier food to an economic boost to helping protect our environment, organic produce has several advantages over regular produce. Perhaps the most important benefit is to the consumer, in terms of health benefits. More and more studies are showing that organic produce may contain more of the stuff that’s good for our bodies: vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Nutritionist Virginia Worthington found there were significantly more nutrients in organically-grown produce and grains than in their conventionally-grown counterparts after evaluating 41 published studies weighing the differences between organically grown and conventionally grown fruits, vegetables, and grains (Worthington 161-173). Also, University of California at Davis researchers compared the antioxidant levels in corn, marionberries and strawberries grown using conventional, organic and sustainable methods in a 2003 study. The results: Antioxidant levels in sustainably grown corn were 58.5 percent higher than conventionally grown corn, while organically and sustainably grown marionberries had approximately 50 percent more antioxidants than conventionally grown berries. Sustainably and organically grown strawberries had about 19 percent more antioxidants than their conventional counterparts (“Nutritional Considerations”). Many other studies have comparable findings, yet further research is still needed to fully determin... ... middle of paper ... ...Farm Performance in Minnesota" mda.state.mn.us. University of Minnesota. 2008. PDF file. 28 Apr. 2011 "Nutritional Considerations." organicitsworthit.org. Organic Trade Association. n.d. Web. 5 May 2011. “Organic Fruit and Vegetable Sales.” Chart. n.p. 5 May 2011. Reuben, Suzanne H. “Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk: What We Can Do Now.” deainfo.nci.nih.gov. National Cancer Institute. April 2010. PDF file. 5 May 2011. Riddle, Jim. “The Constellation of Organic Values.” newfarm.rodaleinstitute.org. Rodale Institute. 10 Nov. 2005. Web. 20 Apr. 2011. Worthington, Virginia. “Nutritional Quality of Organic Versus Conventional Fruits, Vegetables, and Grains.” The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 7.2 (2001): 161–173. EBSCOhost. Web. 5 May 2011. Zelman, Kathleen M. “How to Eat Organic Foods on a Budget.” webmd.com. 12 Sept. 2008. Web. 20 Apr. 2011.
It not only tastes better, but are closer to a maximum of nutrition than store-bought produce (Source D)
A gene used for pest control, Bt, has infected these foods. You would never know this gene existed because it’s not included in the label. Organic foods are specifically labeled as organic whenever you may find them at a grocery store or elsewhere. These foods are known as being essentially grown in healthy soil, in other words, a soil that isn’t infected with poisonous, synthetic fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides, or fungicides. Although organic foods are more expensive, it is only the result from the frequent crop rotations completed by the farmers during long, hot hours under the sun. Conventional farming methods destroy topsoil whereas organic farming can improve the overall health of the topsoil. Farmers who partake in organic farming view it as feeding the soil and not the plants. Due to this thinking method, a healthy soil provides healthy plants, healthy people and a healthy environment. Organic farming has the ability to feed an entire population and put an end to starvation. The dangerous pesticides that are added with conventional farming are outdated and risky to mankind. Relying on synthetic fertilizers and chemicals are paralyzing our
4. Mayo Clinic Staff. "Organic Foods: Are They Safer? More Nutritious?" Mayo Clinic. 18 Dec. 2010. Web. 14 Feb. 2011. .
Steven Shapin is an expert when it comes to telling people the reality of the situation. In his, article “What Are You Buying When You Buy Organic?” Shapin exposes and explains the truth behind the word organic. He explains that our view on organic is not a reality. The small farms that we picture in our heads are really just big business in disguise and these big businesses are trying to do good by supposedly not using harmful pesticides. Which are supposed to not damage the environment but in reality they are probably not making any sort of difference. Some people care about the environment, while others are buying taste when it comes to organic food but using different pesticides are going to help the taste, only freshness tastes the best.
Organic has long since been a highly accredited term for food. To be organic is to be pure, natural, and above the dirty industrial system that food production has become. This definition however has become tainted. The truth is that organic foods are anything but healthier. In Michael Pollan’s research book The Omnivore’s Dilemma the validity of organic foods are discredited. Pollan argues about organic food, as it is misleading consumers.
There is more than two-thirds of U.S. population who buy organic products at least occasionally, and twenty eight percent of consumers buy organic products weekly (Reganold et al., 2010). Organic produce is generally recognized as plant food produced without using growth hormones, antibiotics, or petroleum based, or sewage sludge based fertilizers (McWilliams, 2012). On the other hand conventionally grown produce uses synthetic fertilizers, hormones, and genetically modified Organism (GMO). Genetically Modified Organism referred to as plant or animal foods developed by genetic manipulation to alter nutrient levels or other characteristics such as increasing the antioxidant content in some vegetables or produce higher yield (McWilliams, 2012). The increasing popularity of consuming organic produce may be attributed to its perception of health related benefits, higher vitamins and nutrient levels, better quality, less pesticide residue, more environmental friendly, and concerns about the effects of conventional farming practices on the environment. (Uematsu, Mishra, 2012). The U.S. Department of Agriculture administeres the National Organic Prog...
Yiridoe, E., Bonti-Ankomah, S., & Martin, R. (2005). Comparison of consumer perceptions and preference toward organic versus conventionally produced foods: A review and update of the literature. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, 20(4), 193-205. Retrieved from http://journals.cambridge.org.er.lib.k-state.edu/action/displayFulltext?type=6&fid=692720&jid=RAF&volumeId=20&issueId=04&aid=692716&bodyId=&membershipNumber=&societyETOCSession=&fulltextType=RA&fileId=S1742170505000220
Trends of moving toward supporting local food producers have increased over the years. People are looking for quality over quantity. “With the explosion of interest in local food, consumers now have more choices of products, labels, and ways to shop, so, many people are left wondering where to start” (Table, 2009). Buying locally supports sustainable food system, beyond just methods of food production and helps to increase food from farm to plate. Supporting locally drastically helps with the reduction of emissions and the negative effect that food traveling has on our environment.
For years organic farmers and conventional farmers have feuded over which is superior. Organic farmers argue that their product is more eco-friendly because they do not use the synthetic chemicals and fertilizers conventional farmer’s use. Conventional farmers argue that their product is healthier and yields more. People tend to have stereotypes regarding the two types of farmers. Organic farmers are usually thought of as liberal, hippy, tree-huggers while conventional farmers are usually thought of as right-wing, industrialists. Obviously, some do adhere to this stereotype, but a majority of these farmers are normal, hardworking people. Although these farmers, both believe in their methods, one is no better than the other. There are advantages and disadvantages to both, but there is no true superior method of crop farming.
With the world’s population continuing to increase, the demand for food is higher than ever. This increase in food demand also calls for more efficient ways of growing and providing the food. Two methods that are very controversial are the organic and conventional method. While many people support the organic method because of its known benefits, others feel that it is an over inflated industry that cheats consumers out of their money. But recently many studies have disproved those critics. These studies prove that Organic food is a better choice than conventional because it is better for the environment, avoids the use of chemicals, and is generally more beneficial.
The term “organic” is almost everywhere in modern society, whether it’s used to promote a product or it’s debated on whether it really benefits the human diet. Organic food is heavily debated on as it appears more and more in local grocery stores and farmers markets begin to populate, it raises questions such as “Is organic food better than food grown with pesticides and biologically engineered genes?” and “Are there benefits to eating organically over foods grown in any other way?” In terms of what data and results show in research may help lead to answers to most of the heavily debated issues throughout discussions on organic food.
Audience Relevance: Everyone should know why we need to choose organic food over conventional food. Buying organic food has improved my life and it can improve yours as well instead of risking your life eating food that have been exposed to numerous chemicals.
A study of 362 datasets found that organic agriculture produces 80% of conventional yield with 21% standard deviation (Tomek et al. 2012). Second, organic farming requires less energy input which equates to less money spend from the farmers in addition to lowering carbon emissions. A study by the Department of Environment shows that organic agriculture uses 25 percent less than energy than their chemical counterparts, and certain crops like organic leeks and broccoli use 58 and 49 percent less, respectively (Bialis et al. 2013). Third, organic farming does not use pesticides. According to the World Health Center, 20,000 people die annually from the exposure of pesticides (Costa et al. 2014). Fourth, the methods that organic farmers use are better for the environment in the long run. And lastly, organic farming creates more jobs. A study done in United Kingdom shows 93,000 jobs could be created if Britain were to make a full scale shift to organic farming (Herro 2006). Although conventional agriculture is the primary producer for food currently, a large scale shift to organic agriculture is better suited to feed the world because organic agriculture can produce at adequate yield, requires less energy input, do not use
Conclusion: Now a day’s organic food is getting popular and people are getting aware about the health promoting benefits of having organic food and it is easily available in the grocery store labeled as organic. The main reason most of the people don’t opt for organic food is it is higher in price, we have a false sense that conventional food comes at lower price, the price does not include the government spending on cleaning of pollution caused by producing such conventional produces, and government subsidies on agriculture, these are all tax payers money and ultimately goes from our pocket, thus why thing on short term benefits of conventional food, when organic food has long term benefit on our health , environment and future.
Organic food is food that is grown without any pesticide or fertilizers. In recent years, sales for organic foods are increasing every year. A lot of people go to supermarkets in order to buy some organic foods, because they think that organic foods are healthier than conventional foods. People purchase organic foods for different reasons such as personal health, the quality of organic foods, and taste, but the most important reason is personal health. The topic that whether organic foods have more benefits or not is very controversial for a long time. Maybe some people believe that organic foods are beneficial to human health, but some other people disagree with the viewpoint, so buying organic foods depend on people’s choices. People believe organic foods are healthier because they generally think organic foods have less pesticide and fertilizer residue, more nutritional values, and are beneficial to environment.