Category Diet and Nutrition

Organic food products are believed by many people to be healthier and better to be used in our everyday diets. The term “organic” has the connotation that food produced without chemical fertilizers, pesticides and other additives is safer and healthier. The organic farming process uses no artificial fertilizers or pesticides. Also the processing of the food does not utilize any industrial solvents, irradiation or any chemical food additives.

In order to be labeled organic the growing process must be an all-natural process. The production of organic food requires specific certification that says the food is produced in a way that lines up with organic standards as stated by a government authority.

Other definitions of organic food products would include items such as no antibiotics or added growth hormones in livestock, no engineered seeds (GMO), chemical pesticides, no chemical fertilizers, herbicides or fungicides and no synthetic preservatives.

If attempting to investigate the value of organic foods information will appear that states that the result is not clear as to whether or not organic foods are better for you than foods that are GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) with extra hormones, pesticides, chemicals you can’t pronounce, extra antibiotics and a host of other ingredients too numerous to mention. It doesn’t make much sense to eat food that if full of stuff like that especially food additives that have been proven to cause cancer in rats.

It is no secret that the nutrition that we get from processed food is extremely lacking in nutrition compared to similar food grown 25 to 30 years ago. We live in a society where over 65% of our population is chronically sick most of the time and on various medications that alleviate symptoms.

The use of pesticides and herbicides on our crops has not done our population any favors. The residue of these chemicals has not only affected the food supply but it is resident in about everything that grows. The chemical residue in our water supply is another frightening fact.

The great experiment of the GMO change in our food production has had very harmful effects. While the intent may have seemed noble, the results have been anything but that. The gene splicing and attempts to build a hardier wheat plant has resulted in a very hardy plant with only a fraction of the former nutritional value.

No wonder people are craving organic food products. To get food that is devoid of chemicals, hormones, pesticides and all that other stuff is a good choice. Beef and poultry production is so chemical and hormone laden that comparing production animals to organic animals is readily apparent that something is very different. The production animals are “bulked up” due to the hormones and the organic animals are normal size, which compared to the production animals, look puny.

But the “puny” animals are where the nutrition is and that is what we want to have. We want the organic food products. The same idea applies the crops. We want the crops that have the nutrition and not the other. So does everybody else.

When learning about healthy eating, the topic of antioxidants inevitably shows up. What exactly are antioxidants, and why are they good for you?

Antioxidants are basically nutrients and enzymes that may protect your body’s cells from diseases. They do this by blocking the effects of free radicals, which are unstable molecules looking to bond with healthy molecules in the body. When the free radicals are allowed to make these connections, the healthy molecules are damaged and health is compromised. Antioxidants can prevent those bonds from happening, keeping your body’s healthy tissues free from harm.

Research has found antioxidants may be helpful in defending against:

• Colds, flues and infections
• Cognitive decline
• Age-related macular degeneration
• Heart disease
• Effects of aging
• Development of cancer
• Effects of radiation

Antioxidants are found in fresh whole foods, especially those high in beta carotene, lutein, lycopene, selenium, zinc, and vitamins A, C, and E. Fruits and vegetables are especially excellent sources of antioxidants. Some examples of these foods include:

• Orange, red and yellow fruits and vegetables such as apricots, pumpkin, tomatoes, sweet potato and carrots
• Purple foods such as prunes, raisins, red grapes, eggplant and plums
• All berries
• Greens such as kale, collard greens, mustard greens, chard, broccoli and Brussels sprouts

In addition, superfruits such as acai, goji, and mangosteen have exceptional antioxidant qualities. Think of them as little bundles of extremely concentrated antioxidants. These superfruits are native to South and Central America, China, and the Pacifics, and because of their delicacy it is difficult to transport them safely across long distances. Luckily, products made from these superfruits, such as monavie, are available. The juice supplement monavie is a blend of 19 healthy fruits and AcaVie, the highest concentration of acai available.

Antioxidants are believed to be one of the best defenders against the damage caused by free radicals. There are a variety of sources of antioxidants, including fresh fruits, vegetables and superfruits. A diet rich in these foods can keep you healthy and energetic for many years to come.

It is a great idea to grow your own organic fruit and vegetables. You can be sure of here the food has come from and be assured that it us free from any pesticides or other chemicals which may cause you harm.
The first thing you should do when planning on growing you own organic food is think about where you will be growing it. Will you be growing your organic food in a warmer climate or will the plants be exposed to a colder or even freezing temperature? You should choose the plants that are most suitable for the temperature that you will be able to offer them. If you wish to grow plants that require a higher temperature, then you should invest in a green house if your garden will be too cold.

If you live in a drier area, then you should ensure that you have a good irrigation system in place. You can find low cost irrigation systems to keep your plants well watered, or if you have the time you can water the plants regularly yourself. If you will be using a larger area of land to plant your organic food, then you will probably need an irrigation system to ensure that no plants are left dry when you are watering them manually.

You should be sure to stick to the times of year when your plants should be sown and when they should be harvested. If you don’t harvest your plants in time, then they will over ripen which will result in them tasting horrible when you harvest them, or the fruit or vegetables could fall off the plant and rot, resulting in wastage. If you harvest them too early, then they will be under ripened. Eating fruit or vegetables that are under ripe can give the eater a bad stomach or even make them very ill.

If you choose organic meats to eat, you will be getting a far healthier product than if you were to buy more industrialized meat. The animals which give the meat are treated far better when they are alive, which means that they have plenty of room to roam around and the meat tends to be more tender. Many animals that are raised in a more harmful environment are often fed substandard feed to save money. Pigs for example that eat swill can end up eating the leftovers of other animals, sometimes causing the spread of illnesses or infections. You will be happy to know too, that the animals are treated and killed in a far more humane way when they have been organically raised. Many people believe that organic meat is far more tasty than the non-organic variety.

Organic food products are well known for being better for your health. Fruit and vegetables that have been grown organically have been exposed to far fewer chemicals and unfavorable conditions. Sometimes, farmers will use special sprays to help their food to grow more quickly. Pesticides are also used to kill any bugs that may otherwise eat parts of the fruits and vegetable, making them unsolvable, and lose them money. The organic farmer will take better care of their crops, give them more room to grow and use other ways of keeping pests away.

One well-known way of keeping aphids away from plants is to have plenty of ladybirds, which eat the aphids, but do not harm the plants. The farmers buy ladybirds and then release them on their plants. The ladybirds will not fly away because they have plenty of aphids to eat. It is important that you don’t buy food that has been treated with pesticides as they are not washed away properly and can cause illnesses and diseases such as cancer.

Organic foods taste better than the non-organic foods. This is because they are treated in a more hands-off way. By not treating animals and plants with toxic chemical products and putting a little more work in, organic farmers can produce great tasting products.

You will notice that organic food will start to go bad far more quickly than non-organic food. This is because the food producers use preservative sprays on the fruits and vegetables before they are transported and meat is injected with preservatives and other chemicals to ensure that it is the ‘right’ color for the customer. Because people have become so used to buying bright red meat, they have actually become prejudice against meat that is fresher, which usually has a grey tinge to it. Vegetables and fruit that have been treated with preservatives can be dangerous if they are not washed properly. If you have ever bought a non-organic apple, you will notice that they are covered with a waxy layer. This layer is easily removed by washing it, and if you rub the apple you will notice it becomes shiny. This layer is actually a preservative that can be harmful if consumed in large quantities.

Organic meat that is raised in a free range way can offer great benefits. The animals are able to roam around wherever they like and so they have the ability to develop muscles and graze on healthy grass. Non-organic animals do not have the same luxury. The non-organic animals are kept in small confined spaces so that they put on weight quickly. They are fed on substandard feed and are given chemical medication to help them to put on weight and muscle. The chemicals present in the non-organic animals can make you very ill. If you choose the organic meats, you have less chance of getting diseases that can be passed on through animals, and you will not be consuming the chemicals which can cause cancer and heart problems.