When we talk about organic food, we refer to the crops that are grown and processed without treating them with synthetic pesticides, bioengineered genes, sewage sludge-based fertilizers, or petroleum-based fertilizers. Livestock is also more exposed to the outdoors and they’re not usually given antibiotics or growth hormones.
All of these factors make people believe that this type of food can make a very healthy diet. They’ll choose organic fruits and vegetables over other regular foods, but what makes it healthier than other options? Continue on reading to find out.
You Will Consume Healthy Fats
Ideally, organic foods have fewer fats than normal products on the market, but that doesn’t mean that all types of fats are bad. While saturated fats are typically bad for your health, natural fats, like the unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids, will boost your health and immune system. Organic food is very low in saturated fats and is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, which makes it a good dietary option for anyone trying to lose weight.
Organic snacks, like beef jerky, are very low on saturated fats, unlike its counterpart. While it still has a moderate fat content, the best organic beef jerky loses a lot of fat content in the drying period and, like all organic products, increase your omega-3 intake. It should be noted that any type of snacks, organic or otherwise, should be consumed with moderation in order to maintain healthy levels of saturated fats.
You Will Be Less Exposed to Synthetic Hormones and Antibiotics
Usually, farmers feed livestock antibiotics to protect them against any illnesses, which is not a bad thing per se, but this makes it easier for them to raise a larger number of animals in unhealthy and crowded conditions. Livestock is also injected with synthetic growth hormones, which helps them grow faster or produce more milk. Because livestock is treated with these chemicals, consumers of livestock products may be indirectly exposed to these chemicals, which are strongly believed to increase the risk of cancer.
Organic food, on the other hand, is safer, as it isn’t treated with these synthetic hormones or antibiotics, making it the healthiest option on the market. It is true that the FDA has allocated certain antibiotics and synthetic hormones for livestock; however, there are still loopholes that farmers make use of to use other types of antibiotics.
A Higher Nutritional Value
Because organic food is not exposed to synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, crops are capable of producing higher levels of antioxidants and vitamins, which boosts their protection against weeds and pests. While there is some research that claims that the moderate levels of pesticides in food products can be safe for adult consumption, exposure to pesticides can endanger the health of fetuses and children. It can also be dangerous to pregnant women, as these pesticides can weaken their already vulnerable immune system.
Organic food is fortunately loaded with multiple vitamins, like vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin C, and vitamin D and it contains antioxidants that boost the human immune system. So, if you want to consume meals with high nutritional value, you might want to consider switching to an organic diet.
GMO-Free
Biotechnology companies along with the FDA state that consumption of GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) is safe for humans. With the general consensus that GMOs are not going to endanger human health, the use of toxic herbicides, like glyphosate has substantially increased ever since the use of GMO has been introduced to the food industry. This has led many people to worry about the effects of GMOs on their health, as the World Health Organization (WHO) has implied that glyphosate can cause cancer to humans.
Organic food is fortunately exempt from this controversy, as all organic food products are GMO-free, they were not treated or modified in any shape or form to grow them faster or bigger. Also, they weren’t exposed to pesticides, hormones, or antibiotics. In addition to this, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has banned using any GMOs to produce organic food.
It Will Improve Your Heart Condition
People who suffer from heart disease are sometimes advised to eat organic food due to its strong ability to protect against heart diseases. Organic food has higher levels of CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid), which is a healthy fatty acid that has protective properties for your cardiovascular system. You can consume CLA from organic meat and milk products that are derived from free-range animals. Organic tomatoes also have large amounts of flavonoids, which can protect against cardiovascular diseases.
Taking all these factors into consideration, you can decide on consuming more organic food according to your health and dietary choices. Getting started with organic food doesn’t mean adopting a whole new diet. You can stil eat your favorite hot dog, but it also means that you can consume healthier options while still enjoying your usual meals, so give those organic veggies a try and you might actually make organic food a part of your diet.
Fallon Chan is a food and lifestyle photographer and blogger.
