Is Organic food better for you? Organic vs Non-Organic Foods

By Cherry Crawford May 21, 2023 11 mins read 4117 Views

At Belovedsaffron.com, we are passionate about spices, herbs, good food and organic eating. Our mission is to bring awareness about the different cultures and their culinary art forms from around the globe. We provide recipes from world-renowned chefs and home cooks so that you can treat your taste buds to a full range of flavours that span far and wide. I have a special connection with saffron - the foundation on which this website was built! But there is much more to our site than just saffron and recipes. We strive to promote organic and sustainable eating through our blog posts that feature people who dedicate their lives to creating delicious dishes in home kitchens and 5-star restaurants. If you would like to share your own secret family recipe or contribute in any other way, do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected]. You are awesome, and so should your cooking!

For now, love yourself and enjoy this one ...

Is Organic food better for you? Organic vs Non-Organic Foods

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I be looking out for when shopping organic products

USDA-certified organic labels are recommended. This guarantee that the product has met specific standards set forth by USDA. Look for the "USDA Organic" seal on packages, boxes, cartons, cans, and jars.

When shopping for meat ensure it comes only from cows that are fed 100% organic feed. Ruminants are cattle that chew their cud. Ruminant cattle can be found with four stomach compartments: the rumen, the reticulum, omasum, abomasum and omasum. To be labeled '100% organic, all animal parts must be organically nourished.

You should only purchase chicken that has been raised organically. It must not have ever been treated with antibiotics. Chickens are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and animals. Omnivorous chickens have a digestive system that includes a crop (proventriculus), gizzard and small intestine.

Buy only dairy products from cows that have been fed organically grown feed. Like ruminants, dairy cattle have four stomachs. The fourth stomach compartment is the udder.

To find out the percent of the feed the animals received when you purchase other types livestock, be sure to read the labels. One example is pork that may be labeled '95% Organic'. This means that 95 percent came from organic sources.

Is organic the same as pesticide-free?

Organic food is chemical-free and grown without pesticides. This means that organic food is not exposed to pesticides or fertilizers.

Organic produce also contains more nutrients than conventionally produced foods because it contains no harmful additives.

The USDA National Organic Program, (NOP), requires farmers to adhere to strict guidelines when cultivating organic crops.

These guidelines include soil preparation and crop rotation, pest management, water conservation, as well as harvesting practices.

In addition, organic farming methods promote healthy ecosystems, which benefit wildlife and natural habitats.

What is organic?

Organic meat means real food, grown without artificial fertilizers or pesticides. This also means that animals weren't given any genetically modified feed. The meat is safe to consume because it contains no harmful chemicals.

Organic meats are good for the environment. We reduce the amount of pollution in our rivers, lakes, and landfills by eating organic food. Organic farmers are less likely to use toxic chemicals to kill birds or insects. This helps protect wildlife.

Locally purchasing organic meats is the best way to make sure you are eating healthy and organic meats. Local shopping helps keep more money in your community than it does out of state. Local businesses often offer discounts to their customers by shopping locally. In addition, buying local keeps jobs right here in America instead of sending them overseas.

Statistics

Popular clothing brands, like Patagonia, are labelled as organic by using 100 percent organic cotton for many of their styles. (en.wikipedia.org)
According to a study performed by consumerreports.org, organic products, compared to non-organic products, ranged anywhere from 13 percent cheaper to 303 percent more expensive. (en.wikipedia.org)
Once certified by the USDA, it can fall into one of four categories: "100 percent organic", "organic," "made with organic ingredients," or "made with less than 70 percent organic ingredients. (en.wikipedia.org)
Nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids were up to 50 percent higher in organic meats and milk than in conventionally raised products.[3] (en.wikipedia.org)

External Links

How To

Organic food: Are they healthier and better for you?

Organic foods are made without the use or synthetic fertilizers. They are grown in natural environments without artificial inputs (fungicides/herbicides/hormones, antibiotics or genetic engineering). Crop rotation, cover crops and the use of compost animal manure, wastewater recycling, and integrated pest management (IPM) are some examples of organic farming.

In 2002, USDA National Organic Program was established. It regulates the handling, processing, labelling and sale of organic products within the United States. NOP regulations ensure organic agricultural products conform to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Organic products must also be free from banned substances, such as pesticides residues, growth hormones and irradiation.

In the U.S., there are two types of certification programs available for producers who want their products labelled "organic": one for farmers and ranchers and another for manufacturers. Both programs require audits of operations each year to ensure that they are meeting strict standards. This service is offered by several certifying agents, such as the CCOF Certified Organic Farmers & Ranchers or Quality Assurance International. These three organizations provide third party verification of farms following strict guidelines on environmental stewardship. labour practices, and animal care.

According to USDA’s Economic Research Service, organic farming accounted for $4.7Billion in 2013 sales. That year, retail spending on certified organic products totalled nearly $1.5 billion, representing a 23 percent increase since 2009. During this time, grocery store sales increased by 12 percent. Spending on organic produce directly increased by 29.9%, while meat, poultry eggs, and seafood spending grew only by 1%.

Organic food is more expensive, but consumers believe its quality is worth the extra cost. Consumer Reports conducted a survey in 2015 and found that 88 percent of respondents would pay more for organic foods if they had higher nutritional value. Health Affairs also published a study showing that organic foods are less likely for people to get heart disease, diabetes, cancer, or obesity.

Although there is no evidence eating organic foods prevents or treats any diseases, some studies suggest that consuming them might improve overall health by reducing exposure to specific contaminants and pesticides. In 2010, a review that included 31 studies concluded that organically-raised beef had lower levels of parasites and toxic chemicals than conventionally reared beef. A separate analysis of eleven studies published in 2012 led to similar conclusions.

The Environmental Working Group's 2014 report examined data from the Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Resource Center. It found that foodborne illnesses caused by E.coli, salmonella and listeria monocytogenes and verotoxin producing E.coli O157:H7 declined when organic and non-organic chickens, meat, lamb, dairy, and cheese were compared. The group also observed that E.coliO157 is a less prevalent cause of illness in humans among children than adults. This was because the USDA has imposed stricter organic standards on animals raised for human consumption.