A study conducted by Stanford University showed that consuming organic produce and meat helps lessen a consumer’s pesticide ingestion. Eating organic products also helps reduce exposure to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, synthetic hormones and antibiotics. Other than the health benefits of eating organic food, switching to organic products can also make a positive impact on the environment. Here’s how.
Livelihood
The mass production of farm produce by large corporations and the aggressive consolidation of farm production in the United States endanger small family farms. Fortunately, you help support the livelihood of small scale farmers and their families when you buy organic products. The higher profit margin in organic farming can be a good way to help revive family-owned farms.
You can buy organic and traditionally grown fruits and vegetables directly from the growers. Traditionally grown vegetables, chemical-free fruits, organic meat and seafood fished in eco-friendly ways are also available in organic markets. Try to ask for the seller’s business phone number in case you need to make prior reservations on particular products.
Organic Farming
The US Environmental Protection Agency reports that pesticides are among the major pollutants that contaminate major sources of drinking water in the US. In fact, pesticides pollute half of the water that the American population consumes. These pesticides come from farms that use conventional methods of spraying chemicals to grow fruits and vegetables. Besides water, wildlife habitat is also being harmed when exposed to large amounts of pesticides coming from farms.
The use of pesticide also threatens the health of farm workers. A study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health found an increase in the incidence of Parkinson’s disease among people who are exposed to pesticides. Many of the widely used pesticides contain neurotoxins. These are metabolic poisons that can destroy a person’s nerve cells and nervous system. By using pesticides, farmers have a greater risk of incurring Parkinson’s disease and other similar illnesses.
Whereas conventional agriculture employs potentially harmful methods, organic farming employs toxin-free methods in food production that do not affect the environment and wildlife. Organic farms do not use pesticides and similar chemicals to grow fruits and vegetables. Farm workers are also safer when working in organic farms. By choosing organic food over farm produce that was exposed to pesticides, consumers are able to encourage more people to work on farms that do not use harmful chemicals.
Healthy Living
Organic food is safer than genetically modified food. Unfortunately, 80% of an average person’s food intake is estimated to be made up of genetically modified food. You should avoid preparing genetically modified food as much as possible because their safety is still a subject of many debates. GMOs were released for market consumption without prior testing and you are likely participating in a widespread and uncontrolled experiment on the safety of genetically modified food by consuming inorganic fruits, vegetables and meat. There are also health concerns associated with antibiotics and synthetic hormones. Unfortunately, many of the animals whose meat is to be sold in the supermarkets are subjected to antibiotics, drugs and growth hormones. These chemicals can ultimately find their way to you through the food that you prepare for your dinner table.
Did you know that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers a large number of herbicides, fungicides and insecticides to be potentially cancer-causing? Although there may be several factors that can cause cancer, it is possible that the widespread use of carcinogenic pesticides contributed to the increasing number of people who develop cancer. You can avoid getting exposed to unwanted carcinogenic chemicals by switching to organic food. Organic fruits and vegetables are also fresher and more nutritious than the other produce sold in the market.