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Enjoy this beautiful cooking recipe now and try it at home ;)
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I go organic?
Conventional agriculture has been linked with many health problems including asthma, allergies. It is important to make informed choices about food purchases.
The Environmental Working Group offers these tips:
As much as possible, purchase organic fruits or vegetables
USDA organic labels for meat, poultry eggs, milk and cheese as well butter and honey are recommended.
Avoid processed foods that claim to be "natural" and "no additives."
Always read the ingredient lists. If an ingredient doesn't appear on the list, it could be added to the product during processing.
You should choose fresh meats rather than frozen or canned. Canned and frozen foods can often have lower nutritional content like high fructose syrup.
What are organic fruits and vegetables?
Organic food is free from pesticides, synthetic fertilizers and hormones. Organic foods also have more nutrients such as vitamins C, E and K plus omega-3 fatty acid. These healthy ingredients make organic food better for our bodies and the planet.
Organic foods are grown with sustainable agricultural practices that help to preserve soil quality, and increase biological diversity. They are produced without harmful chemicals, irradiation, or sewage sludge.
Most people associate organics with fruits, but organic products also include dairy, meat and poultry, as well as baked goods, personal care items, pet food and household cleaning supplies.
According to the USDA, "organic" means that crops are raised in compliance with federal standards. Non-organic methods cannot be used by farmers to grow these foods. However, they can use approved natural methods to control pests, like crop rotation and cover crops, or animal feed made of organic materials.
Further, the farmer must be careful about the amount of pesticide and fertilizer he uses in the growing season. Farmers cannot use genetically modified organisms (GMOs), artificial growth hormones, synthetic insecticides, or synthetic fertilizers.
Fruits and vegetables labelled "100% organic" meet all the requirements above. But not all farms will label their products 100% organic. That would confuse consumers. Instead, they will label their product as "made with organic ingredients. "
Is organic a guarantee that the product is pesticide-free
Organic food does not contain pesticides or chemicals and is therefore chemical-free. This means there is little or no exposure to chemicals such as fertilizers and herbicides.
Organic produce also contains more nutrients than conventionally produced foods because it contains no harmful additives.
Farmers must follow strict guidelines to grow organic crops under the USDA National Organic Program (NOP).
These guidelines include soil preparation and crop rotation, pest management, water conservation, as well as harvesting practices.
Organic farming methods are also beneficial for wildlife and natural habitats.
Statistics
- Brands participating in this challenge are committed to using 100 percent sustainable cotton by 2025.[5] (en.wikipedia.org)
- As for organic meat, regulations require that animals be raised in living conditions that accommodate their natural behaviours (like the ability to graze on pasture), fed 100% organic feed and forage, and not administered antibiotics or hormones. (usda.gov)
- 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)
- Cosmetic brands such as Laurel and Rose Mira are 100 percent organic and have a wide array of skincare products. (en.wikipedia.org)
External Links
sciencedirect.com
- Organic food and the impact on human nutrition: A comparison of the status-quo and potential research - ScienceDirect
- Technical note: Simultaneous carotenoid and vitamin analysis of milk from total mixed ration-fed cows optimized for xanthophyll detection - ScienceDirect
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- PubMed: Evaluation of the micronutrient content of plant foods grown using conventional and organic agricultural methods.
- Comparison of the total phenolic and ascorbic acid content of freeze-dried and air-dried marionberry, strawberry, and corn grown using conventional, organic, and sustainable agricultural practices - PubMed
doi.org
- The link between occupational pesticide exposure and cancer risk: A review: Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. Part B. Vol 15, No 4.
- Genetically modified food safety and public concerns: a review by Journal of Food Science and Technology
ota.com
How To
Organic foods are healthier and more nutritious.
Organic foods can be grown without the use synthetic fertilizers and chemical pesticides. They are grown naturally without artificial inputs such pesticides and herbicides. 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, the USDA National Organic Program (NOP), was established to regulate the sale, purchase, labelling, production, and distribution of organic products in the United States. NOP regulations assure that organic agricultural products comply with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Furthermore, the NOP rules require organic products to be free of banned substances such as pesticides residues and growth hormones.
The United States offers two certification programs for producers that want their products to be certified organic: one for farmers, ranchers and the other for manufacturers. Both programs require annual audits of operations to verify compliance with rigorous 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 (ERS), organic agriculture accounted in 2013 for $4.7 Billion in sales. That year, retail spending on certified organic products totalled nearly $1.5 billion, representing a 23 percent increase since 2009. The number of grocery stores that sold organic products increased 12 percent over the same period. Spending directly on organic produce grew by 29 percent while that on meat, poultry, eggs and seafood only grew by 1 percent.
While organic food may be more expensive, consumers think its superior quality justifies the higher price. 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.
Even though there is no evidence organic foods cause or treat diseases, some studies show that they can improve overall health by reducing pesticide and other contaminants exposure. 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 11 publications from 2012 produced similar results.
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. After 2006, when USDA required stricter organic standards in animal raising for human consumption, the group noted that E.coli O157 was less common among children and adults.
