Organic food is a food product that does not use chemicals during the entire production process, including preparation and processing. This means it did not use chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and preservatives throughout the entire process.
The demand for organic food is also high due to the health benefits it offers. Here are some health benefits people can get from organic food.
Better Overall Health
Organic food is healthier than food products produced and processed using chemical fertilizers and chemical preservatives. The fertilizers it uses are also organic or natural. It may even be possible that the plants’ water was sourced locally or a water well was built specifically for organic farming.
The natural farming methods used in organic farming include crop rotation, mechanical cultivation, and biological pest control. Due to this, the food products from organic farming are healthier. So, it can nourish people better and will not have any harmful effects.
Stronger Heart
Certain types of food are good for the heart. With this in mind, naturally-processed food will be healthier since it doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals that can make people sick. Additionally, organic food has more antioxidant content since it doesn’t contain chemicals that react to vitamins and minerals in food. This reaction lowers the beneficial effects of antioxidants in different food products.
And since studies have shown that antioxidants can prevent coronary heart disease, organic food can strengthen the heart. Additionally, people can increase their intake of antioxidants when they continue eating organic food. Aside from heart disease, antioxidants can also help prevent vision issues, some types of cancer, and premature aging.
Better Immune System
Since industrial farming methods focus on quantity rather than quality, they may use genetic modification to increase yield. They may also use growth hormones, which may have a long-term effect on a person’s health. One of these effects is a reduction in the strength of the immune system.
On the other hand, organic food doesn’t use chemicals in any part of the production process. This will reduce any risk of weakening the immune system. The higher vitamin and mineral content of organic food can also help in strengthening the immune system.
Studies have also shown that animals that consumed organic food recovered quickly in an immune challenge compared to animals that ate traditionally-processed food. While the study was limited to animals, it can still show the benefits the immune system can get when consuming organic food.
No Harmful Chemicals
Traditionally-grown food products, particularly animals, may ingest antibiotics and growth hormones to help the animals grow and survive. When people eat these food products, they are indirectly consuming these chemicals that may affect their immune systems. This will weaken the immune system and makes them susceptible to diseases.
On the other hand, organic food products don’t use any chemicals during the entire process. This means people consuming organic food will have no risk of ingesting the chemicals that may affect their health.
Chemical Pesticide-Free
Organic food uses natural pesticides to keep pests at bay while the plants are growing. These pesticides are not manmade and contain natural substances. While they contain natural substances, they don’t contain any harmful natural substances, such as nicotine sulfate, arsenic, and strychnine.
On the other hand, traditional food production uses chemical pesticides that may contain ingredients that can cause numerous disorders and diseases. These disorders and diseases include cancer, congenital disabilities, digestive dysfunction, ADHD, and a weakened immune system. The unnatural chemicals in these pesticides can also cause health abnormalities and developmental disorders.
Environment-Friendly
Organic farming has little to no effect on the environment. Since the farming method doesn’t use chemicals, it will not harm the environment. This method of farming does not cause water pollution, soil pollution, and air pollution. This will result in a better and healthier environment.
Organic farming can even increase the fertility of the soil since it uses natural fertilizer for the plants. It will also use less energy. So, producing organic food is good for the environment, which is good news for future generations.
Fresher Food
Organic food products do not use chemical fertilizer or chemical pesticides. They also do not use preservatives to give them a longer shelf life. People can expect organic food products to be fresher compared to food products produced through traditional methods. But since they do not use preservatives, it’s expected that they are normally sold locally or close to the farm’s location.
While many people are nitpicking against the higher prices of organic food, they should understand that these food products are produced with quality in mind rather than quantity. They also offer more benefits when compared to food products produced through traditional methods.
