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If you are more concerned about your health, more than simply cutting out junk food, you got to concentrate more on the nutritional value of every bite you take. Going Organic on all foods gives you a fit and healthy lifestyle.

What is Organic ?

An Organic product is grown and processed without the use of synthetic fertilizers, insecticides, antibiotics, hormones. Only farms which produced food according to the USDA organic standards and get certified by an independent third-party accredited agent can label their product as “certified organic”. Non-organic farming methods are termed as “Conventional”.

Why go Organic ?

According to a 2001 study, today’s conventionally grown fruits and vegetables have about half the vitamin content of their 1963 counterparts. Organically grown food, however, is more nutritious than food produced using synthetic chemicals, as shown by a study published in the Journal of Applied Nutrition in 1993. On average, organically grown food is 63 percent higher in calcium, 73 percent higher in iron and 118 percent higher in magnesium, while being 29 percent lower in mercury.

According to the 2005 State of Science Review (SSR) by the Organic Center, antioxidant levels are about 30 percent higher in organic food than chemically-grown foods produced under the same conditions. Most antioxidants are found in the peels of fruits and vegetables, but many people cut away the peel of conventionally grown produce to reduce their exposure to pesticides. Since it is safer to eat the skin of an organic fruit or vegetable, you get the maximum amount of antioxidants from your produce when you buy organic.

Scientists now have a better understanding of how disease and environmental toxins are linked and have proven that exposure to chemical fertilizers and pesticides does impact our health. Some pesticides have been shown to disrupt the human endocrine system (which regulates our hormones), while others have been linked to breast cancer, uterine cancer and asthma.

Some of the main reasons to buy Organic:

Taking Care of your own health. Several pesticides that are banned in the US and Canada are used on foreign crops and shipped here for consumers to buy. Organic foods not only contribute for more nutrional value but also helps you fight off diseases. Children are exposed to four times the level of pesticides in food than adults. pesticides affect children more due to their higher metabolisms and smaller body mass. So Giving your child organic protects your child’s health.

Preserve the Soil. Over three billion tons of topsoil are lost each year in the U.S and Canada due to erosion caused by conventional farming practices.

Protect the water. Use of pesticides can contaminate groundwater which might affect the drinking water supply in most of U.S and Canada. If this water reaches the lakes, rivers , it can also suffocate the aquatic life.

Fight Global warming. Petroleum-based fertilizers give plants the nitrogen they need for rapid growth, but these nitrogen compounds can enter the atmosphere and contribute to global warming.

Though people know the benefits of organic foods, some ignore them due to its high price. If organic foods don’t fit your budget, don’t worry. Most health authorities report that the health benefits that come from eating more fruits and vegetables outweigh the concerns of pesticide use.

Whether you select organic or conventional, make sure you eat atleast five to ten servings of fruits and vegetables each day. That’s the most healthiest way to get all your vitamins and minerals.