Kale? Organic kale? Kombucha? Fair trade? With the massive health trend sweeping through California, it’s easy to get lost in the terminology and what exactly everything means.
So let’s start with the basics: what is organic food?
Organic food is any food that is grown by the standards for organic farming. These standards vary from country to country, so in the US, for food to be labeled as organic when being sold, the food must meet the standards set by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Such standards include the use of crop rotation (the use of rotating which crops are grown on a specific plot of land), organic pesticides and fertilizers, and non-GMO grown food. Crop rotation and companion planting are both practices that enrich the soil, making it more sustainable to grow plants on that plot for the long term.
Organic does not necessarily mean that the food is grown without the use of pesticides. Instead, the food is grown with the use of non-synthetic (organic) pesticides. These pesticides are less effective than synthetically made pesticides and are often just as toxic. Because of this, organic food often has a lower yield than traditionally farmed food. This makes it unrealistic for the entire world to switch to organic farming, as it would require an increase in land development used for agriculture and in areas where food insecurity is already high; switching to organic farming would cause an increase in food insecurity. However, in areas like the US where food waste is high, tackling food waste and switching to organic farming can go hand-in-hand.
There is a public perception that organic food tastes better or is more nutritious; however, neither of these ideas are backed by evidence.
On the plus side, organic farming is much healthier for the environment and leads to the sustainable use of crop lands not only for now, but for future generations.
The good news is that organic farming has the ability of making our farming practices more sustainable and beneficial to the environment. So when given the choice, I choose organic over non-organic.
by: Isabella Muscettola
Organic foods may have higher nutritional value than conventional food, according to some research. The reason: In the absence of pesticides and fertilizers, plants boost their production of the vitamins and antioxidants which gives them the nutritional value.
Hi, I read through your post. I have a question I was hoping you might be able to help with. Do you know of any organic cleaners that don’t use vinegar? I’m really sensitive to smells so I’ve been trying to find a good cleaner that won’t irritate my nose. Thanks in advance for your answer.