Organic Food – The Simple Definition

Organic food is defined as crops and animals that have been produced without chemicals or other unnatural components.

Why Go Organic?

There are many reasons why a growing number of consumers clearly prefer organically grown food over intensively farmed food. The benefits of eating organically include taste, safety, environmental, and health benefits that do not normally exist in non-organic food.

In fact, much of the food that has been conventionally produced is known to contain toxic chemicals, including pesticide cocktails, that cause people to become sick as well as susceptible to disease. As a result of increased health concerns among the public, the market for organic food has been rapidly expanding as more and more consumers realize that naturally grown food is the healthier and better tasting choice.

One major advantage of organically grown foods is that they regularly produce higher levels of trace minerals, antioxidants, and vitamins and contain significantly lower pesticide residues than their non-organic counterparts. In fact, a four-year study performed by the European Union determined that organically grown fruits and vegetables contained as much as forty percent more antioxidants than fruits and vegetables grown through conventional means.

The same study showed that the number rose to sixty percent for organic milk versus non-organic milk. Organic farming is also better at sustaining delicate ecosystems than conventional farming. In addition, farms that grow food using natural means tend to produce less waste and use energy more efficiently.

History of Organic Food – The Idea of Certified Organic in the USDA

While the production history of organic food purchased from local farms and farmers' markets can be easily monitored by interested citizens, the organic production of items bought from supermarkets is not as easily verified. American consumers who purchase food from unfamiliar sources must rely on product labeling and organic certification in order to be sure of a particular item's organic status.

Organic agricultural products in the United States, whether fresh or processed, are regulated by comprehensive legislation. In fact, the term certified organic may only be used by producers who have obtained certification by the US department of Agriculture, also known as the USDA.

The National Organic Program (NOP), which is administered by the USDA, sets and maintains all standards relating to the production, processing, delivery, and sale of organically produced food in the United States. Although the NOP does govern organic food, the certification is frequently handled by certain state, private, or non-profit agencies that have been approved by the USDA.

In order to receive the USDA Organic seal, a product must consist of at least 95% organic ingredients and meet other mandatory requirements.

In general, organic food products are free of the following:

• Synthetic fertilizers and pesticides
• Antibiotics
• Food Additives
• Irradiation
• Genetic Modification
• Chemical ripening
• Other Harmful Processes

Is Certified Organic Food Worth A Higher Price?

Although conventionally farmed food is less expensive to produce, it saturates the body with toxicity and is not healthy to consume over any extended period of time. Conversely, certified organic food is more expensive to farm than non-organics and therefore cost more to obtain.

However, for many people all over the world who choose to eat only food that has been created as nature intended, the health benefits alone greatly outweigh the price difference. When deciding if the slightly higher price of eating all natural or organic food is actually worth it, it is best to remember that long-term good health is invaluably priceless.