Why Eat Organic?
I chose to eat organic whenever possible because I believe it is better for my health and wellness, better for farmers and better for our environment. There are others (think Monsanto, Syngenta and Bayer) who feel different and it can be hard to know what to believe when these companies pay for messages about organic food being a scam or a rip off. They also pay large amounts of dollars to lobby in congress against GMO labeling. The issue is the food is toxic but you can’t see the toxins so most people don’t pay much attention!
For instance, did you know that once a GMO crop is used in a field it kills the entire ecosystem around it and isn’t able to be restored back to an organic field? Just this fact alone makes you question how GMO crops (Genetically Modified Organisms) conventionally grown can benefit the human population when cancer rates are at an all time high and GMO corn and soy is used in so many food products and we don’t even know because it’s not required by law to indicate if GMOs were used.
For me it began by being more consciously aware of what I am putting in my body and how it is grown. It’s important to do your own research and determine if you think organic food is worth it to you and/or your family. There are studies that have been published about organic food consumption and some of the facts are captivating.
A large project commissioned by the European Parliament involved experts from all over the world were asked to study whether organic food and farming is healthier for us. Their conclusions counter everything that you may have heard about organic food. The researchers concluded (quoting Harvard):
In conventional food, there are pesticide residues that remain in the food even after it’s washed. Organic foods are produced virtually without pesticides.
Three long-term birth cohort studies in the U.S. suggest that pesticides are harming children’s brains.
Women’s exposure to pesticides during pregnancy, measured through urine samples, was associated with negative impacts on their children’s IQ and neurobehavioral development, as well as with ADHD.
The gray matter was thinner in children the higher their mothers’ exposure to organophosphates, which are used widely in pesticides.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women, and women planning to become pregnant, may wish to eat organic foods as a precautionary measure because of the significant and possibly irreversible consequences for children’s health.
By eating organic you are significantly reducing your exposure to toxic pesticides. The idea behind organic farming is to not have to use chemicals. When produce from farms has been tested, organic has far less pesticide residue compared with conventional (non-organic). By eating organic you can significantly decrease your exposure to pesticides!
There are major health consequences to eating pesticides not to be taken lightly. Many of the pesticides used on conventional farms are hormone disruptors (think soy), neurotoxins, or reproductive toxins which are strongly linked to many diseases and health issues:
Pesticides are even MORE damaging to children because their metabolism is different than adults and toxins remain longer in their body.
Since DNA is injected into the GMO seed you are not able to wash off the pesticide because it is actually part of the plant. This is what kills the bug that lands on the crop then you eat the bug and pesticide both on your dinner plate!
Experts at the U.N. recently warned that pesticides end up in our water systems, damage our ecological system, contaminate soils, are responsible for bee deaths, and are a huge environmental threat to the future of food production. The issue of world hunger is due to poverty, inequality and distribution not lack of food.
The key is to keep the toxins out of your food as much as you can control. When you purchase organic the farmer uses various methods like covering crops, mechanical weeding and soil rotations prior to a pesticide. Approved pesticides are only used as a last resort and in order for a pesticide to be approved it is reviewed more thoroughly more than other pesticides. This is why there are only about 25 synthetic products permitted on organic farms, while non-organic farms have upwards of 900 agrochemicals to use at their disposal!
It’s important to also know that when you purchase organic you are avoiding dangerous food additives like TBHQ, BHT, artificial sweeteners (aspartame, sucralose) and artificial food dyes (yellow #5 red #40, etc.) which are all banned from certified organic products. Carrageenan is concerning as well. Always read the labels even on organic labels too. You are looking for real food not a long list of additives. (All of our plant- based milks at Vibe Organic Juice Bar are carrageenan free)
When purchasing meat and dairy it’s even more important to buy grass fed and organic. Pesticides used on the feed to the animals are accumulate in the animal’s tissues over time and the residues have been found in conventional eggs, poultry, milk, beef and pork when sampled. When you purchase organic the animals have been fed organic food because it is a requirement.
Most conventional animals are raised on hormones, growth promoting steroids, antibiotics, and other drugs which infiltrates into the meat you are purchasing. Unfortunately, the overuse of growth-promoting antibiotics is creating superbugs that contaminate meat putting us at greater risk of antibiotic-resistant infections. The use of these drugs is prohibited when raising organic animals.
Organic food costs more but can save money on the back end in medical visits to the doctor. Put the most nutrients in your body and keep the toxins out as much as you can control. When I converted my family to primarily organic eating my entire life began to change into a more-healthy conscious human and I want that for you and everyone.
I have learned to research and be conscious of who I trust for health information and what their motive is. Especially interested if it’s someone from a biotech company or someone with ties to the industry.
Try going organic for a week and see how you feel. I just know you will feel so much better. If you want tips on going organic refer to this blog I published on 5 Tips on Switching to Organic.
I would love to hear your stories on going organic. Please comment below.
Be the Light.
Amber
