I’ve been touting the benefits of organically grown food for over 25 years. Why?
Organic food has become increasingly popular. But navigating the claims and benefits can be difficult and confusing. Is organic food really better for mind and physical health? Do GMOs ( genetically modified organisms) and pesticides cause cancer and other diseases?
What is organic food?
Organic refers to the way agricultural products are grown and processed. Organic crops are grown much like they were pre 20th century, the way our ancestors grew them, without pesticides and bioengineered genes (GMOs). They’re grown without petroleum-based fertilizers and sewage sludge-based fertilizers. They’re grown in rich manure and natural fertilizer based soils.
Organic livestock raised for meat, eggs, and diary products must have access to the outdoors and be given organic feed. They may not be given antibiotics, growth hormones or any animal-by-products.
How your food is grown or raised can have a major impact on your mental and emotional health as well as the environment. Organic foods often have more beneficial nutrients, such as antioxidants, than their conventionally grown counterparts.
People with allergies to foods, chemicals, or preservatives often find their symptoms lessen or go away completely eating organic foods.
Organic farming is often better for the environment. Organic farming practices reduce pollution, conserve water, reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and use less energy.
Organic foods vs. GMOs and pesticides
The ongoing debate about the effects of GMOs on health and the environment is a controversial one. In most cases, GMOs are engineered to make food crops resistant to herbicides and/or to produce an insecticide. For example, about 80 percent of the sweet corn consumed in the U.S. is genetically engineered to produce its own insecticide, Bt Toxin.
GMOs are also commonly found is U.S. crops such as soybeans, alfalfa, squash,zucchini, papaya, and canola, as well as much of the processed food we eat.
While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the biotech companies insist they are safe, some animal studies have indicated they may cause internal organ damage, slowed brain growth and thickening of the digestive tract. Consuming GMOs have also been linked to increased food allergies as well.
GMOs and pesticides
The use of toxic herbicides like Roundup (glyphosate) has increased 15 fold since GMOs were introduced. Though the World Health Organization has announced that glyphosate is “probably carcinogenic to humans”, there is still some controversy over the level of health risks posed by the use of pesticides.
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