Organic Research

You are in the supermarket and torn between these non-organic and organic labeled products. Both are looking fresh and great, however, organic products would cost you much higher than non-organic foods.

Which would you buy? For the mean time, to give you more time to think, we attempt to supply you essential information as to what kind of foods you better consume depending on what you prioritize: your tight budget or your health concern.

In reference to the guidelines of United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), when we say organic foods, it pertains to any 100% organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals given no growth hormones, and to all plants and vegetables produced without using synthetic chemicals such as pesticides, and fertilizers made with ionizing radiation or bioengineering.

Organic food production is heavily regulated industry and requires producers to meet certain special certification, for them to market their organic product. This means that all products must be manufactured in a way that adheres to the guidelines and high standards set by country they will market. How about products made with organic ingredients? Yes, it is still considered organic, provided that these claimed organic products consist of 70% organic ingredients, except for added water and salt. Take note that it should not contain added sulfites, the rest of 30% can be non-organically produced.

So, we therefore conclude that the organic production is food which is non-chemically treated, minimally processed, and fresh. People who do not want to put all the chemicals in their body must purchase organic foods which are indicated in the product label.

Why do we have to eat organic product?

• Advocates of organic foods claim that it contain more nutrition like 27% more vitamin C, 21.1 % more iron, 29.3% more magnesium, 13.6% more phosphorus, and higher protein. Evidence shows that animals grown with organic feeds are much healthier than those animals grown and fed with conventional feeds, same thing with organic grown vegetable and fruit crops with no synthetic chemicals.
• Moreover, In Danish research published in 2003, a study showed that organic products contain more flavonoids, a well-known antioxidant defense against any diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
• The chemical effects of non-organic foods, especially on children, become so alarming, as published in September 2005 issue of Environmental Health Perspectives. The harmful pesticides known as malathion and chlorpyrifos are widely used in agriculture and said to be damaging to neurological development of children. Several researches, using urine samples of children, are conducted to prove the negative effect of these chemicals to them. Parents should be more aware of this fact and take necessary actions to prevent any heath problems that their children might get from non-organic foods.
• What is even more remarkable is that sustainable organic farming is not only beneficial to us, and to animals and crops, but rather, much more to our environment. An earth friendly method in farming employing nature friendly practices keep chemical off the faming land to protect wild life and water quality with the intention to integrate mechanical, biological, and cultural practices for ecological balance.

IMPORTANT BUYING TIPS: Read food labels very carefully. Take note also of products high in calories, sugar, salt and fats. Check if the products passed the standard of agricultural and food authority.

Consumers may add a little to their budget because the cost is much higher than the usual non-organic products, due to expensive farm practices by not using any harmful synthetic chemicals in farming. But rest assured that your health is much safer with organic products. I only take note of this fact for one reason: your wellbeing is highly important than anything else in this world.

Do Pesticides pose special risks to growing children?

 Pesticides are designed to kill living organisms.  The implications of wide-scale pesticide pollution of Americans’ bodies have not been explored.   But a few studies of neurotoxic organophosphate compounds used on some fruits and vegetables have found that children face increased risks for neurological problems.

Industrial produce operators and pesticide interests claim that no studies link pesticide residues in the diet to health risks.  The government has not done the studies that would answer the many questions about pesticides’ impact on health.  Neither has the industry.  But it is obvious that absence of evidence doesn’t mean evidence of absence.

There is an extensive body of evidence demonstrating that pesticides harm workers, damage the environment and are toxic to laboratory animals. EPA is responsible for setting standards for pesticides in food that allow a sufficient margin of safety between human exposures and amounts known to be harmful.

But because of the complexity of people’s diets, the variation in pesticide residues on foods and   other lifestyle, genetic and environmental factors contributing to disease, it is difficult to pinpoint the risks of pesticides in the diet.

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