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Health knowledge made personal
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Health knowledge made personal
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As an environmentalist, I knew about much of the importance of organic agriculture. However, it wasn't until my wife examined banana harvesting that I really felt shocked. I knew about the mistreatment of agricultural workers who often are working in the field when pesticides are sprayed. What I didn't know is that conventional banana harvests often SOAK bananas in pesticides before shipping them to market.
DISGUSTING!
Organic bananas don't suffer such a fate and now I won't eat any other type of banana! Clearly worth paying double the price of regular bananas!
If you want to guarentee higher nutritional content in your organic food, go local, or at least buy from a local source. I feel that many supermarkets are selling organic fruit and veg that makes me dubious...where has it been? What value does it have?
On the other hand, when I buy from my cooperative shop, I know for a fact that the food they sell is highly nutritious and comes from a great source. I know not everyone has a shop like this one near them, but if you do, it is definitely worth the extra dollars!
It is a simple choice illustrated by the sentence in paragraph six.
"Organic foods are grown without the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers and genetically-modified seeds"
If one mindfully is willing to eat foods treated with such things and is mindfully willing to take what consequence may follow, then eat with your wallet.
If one elects not to eat fertilizer, pesticides, and herbicides then buy organic produce.
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Posted by Sue R.
Organic foods cost more than conventionally-grown foods. Many people are willing to pay the extra it seems, as over $20 billion was spent on organics in 2004. This is somewhere between 1 - 10% of total food sales in the US.
Remarkable!
Even more remarkable is that predictions call for this figure to rise over the $30 billion mark this year.
If you are considering adding your food dollars to that total, here are a few things you should know. First, check and make sure the label contains the Certified Organic Seal along with the words "100% Organic".
This is your guarantee that the food in question has been grown according to the standards set by the USDA for organic foods and that the grower has passed the scrutiny of a USDA-accredited inspector.
Organic foods are grown without the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers and genetically-modified seeds. They are not treated with irradiation.
Notice that this does not address the nutritional content. Many consumers erroneously believe that by purchasing organic they are getting foods higher in nutrient content than the conventionally-grown counterparts. Not so.
The Organic Seal implies nothing about where the food is grown, either. It is commonly believed that organics are grown in the same locale as where they are sold, but again this is not so. Organic foods only differ in the way they are grown, handled and processed.
So why buy organic then?
Its better for the environment. Organically-grown foods conserve, rather than deplete, natural resources.
Are you willing to pay more?