What is the Definition of Organic Food?

So when you hear the term organic food, what does it really mean? Is there one simple definition of organic food?

"Organic foods are produced according to certain production standards. For crops, it means they were grown without the use of conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers, human waste, or sewage sludge and that they were processed without ionizing radiation or food additives. For animals, it means they were reared without the routine use of antibiotics and without the use of growth hormones. In most countries, organic produce must not be genetically modified."

Now that you have a simple definition of organic food why should you make organic foods apart of your diet?

Good Question, there are two clear reasons to go organic:

"Well first it just plain tastes better. Organically grown foods have basic standards some of which are is keeping soil healthy and fortifying it naturally, not with synthetic fertilizers. Healthy, fortified soil means healthy, strong plants, which translates to better-tasting food.

"Secondly, organically grown foods have more nutrients. Healthy soil of organic farmland also provides more nutrients for growing plants. Studies are showing they have more vitamins and minerals, like vitamin C and iron.

One of the biggest studies into organic food has found that it is more nutritious than ordinary produce and may help to lengthen people's lives.

"The study found that organic fruit and vegetables contained as much as 40% more antioxidants, which scientists believe can cut the risk of cancer and heart disease. They also had higher levels of beneficial minerals such as iron and zinc.

Professor Carlo Leifert, the co-ordinator of the European Union-funded project, said the differences were so marked that organic produce would help to increase the nutrient intake of people not eating the recommended five portions a day of fruit and vegetables. "If you have just 20% more antioxidants and you can't get your kids to do five a day, then you might just be okay with four a day," he said."

Leifert said the government was wrong about there being no difference between organic and conventional produce. "There is enough evidence now that the level of good things is higher in organics," he said.

Organic foods are essentially free of pesticides, while nearly every type of conventional fruit and vegetable has at least one type of pesticide applied to it sometime from when the seeds are put into the ground to when they are sold. Logically then, eating organic foods rather than conventional foods will reduce your family's exposure to pesticides. And for me that is enough to make organic foods apart of my family's diet.

If you enjoyed this article, Definition of Organic Food you might like to learn more about specific foods that you should buy organic read my article Is Organic Worth It?

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