If you are a regular at your apartment complex fitness center, a member of a local gym, or you like hitting hotel exercise rooms when traveling, you might have been eyeing the powered stair climbers for a while as a new thing to add to your workout regimen. This can be a great idea, and you have likely noticed that those who use them tend to be in great shape and have lots of energy. So who would not want to be one of them?
These are the type of foods that are produced by organic farming. For a food to be declared as organic, there are several parameters that come into place to determine if it is organic or not. These parameters vary in different parts of the world and may include cultural, biological and mechanical practices that are put into place when producing these foods. In general organic foods are produced in ways that promote ecological balance and ensure maximum biodiversity. Pesticides that are synthetic and the normal industrial chemical fertilizers are not allowed when growing these organic foods. However there are organically approved pesticides that a grower can use but only under limited conditions.
For processed foods to be labelled as organic 95% of the products that are used to process the food must be purely organic. These foodstuffs are generally advantageous and have come a long way since they were once found in chemists only. There is a vast belief among several people that organic food is tastier, contains more nutrients and is safer when compared to other conventional foodstuffs. This public notion has led to a very significant increase in the demand of organic foods. However there have been several obstacles in confirming whether these advantages are scientifically true.
The perception that organic foods have less calories than the conventional foods has been under the scope. Most conventional foods and genetic engineered foods have been highly linked with the accumulation of excess fat among individuals. This fact has therefore made individuals to turn to organic foods as they have been observed to have less calories and be safer. This type of foods are more common among parents who are feeding their small infants. The demand for organic baby products was accelerated in China in the year 2008 when the Chinese milk scandal happened leaving six children dead. This scandal questioned the safety of infant food and in turn made parents opt for the safer organic foods.
There has also been a notion that organic foods have more nutrients than other conventional foods. These claims have been hard to prove since the results were very inconsistent due to other factors that come into play when growing these plants. However general conclusions were made and it was noted that out of twelve main nutrients only two of them were found to be higher than the nutrient amounts in the conventional foods.
Most consumers really do not understand why organic food is important, and many of them really do not even knows what an organic label implies. All that most shoppers know is that organic food costs more in the grocery store, and they may pass it up because they hope to stretch their grocery budgets. Since food prices have been rising lately, this is easy to understand. However, eating organic food may be important for your health.
What Is Organic Food?
Of course, all food is really organic. That means that it comes from living things, and that is exactly what our meat, dairy products, produce, and grain come from. However, an organic label means something else.
This label implies that the food has been grown or raised with organic farming practices. That means that food has been either fed or fertilized with organic materials too. No harsh chemicals, artificial hormones, or antibiotics have been used to either keep away pests or make livestock grow faster and avoid diseases.
Is Organic Food Healthier?
Nobody debates that the price of organic food is higher. However, a debate rages about the health benefits of organic vs. non-organic food.
According to an article in Psychology Today, eating organic food may substantially lower the risk of many types of cancer. For example, hormones given to livestock may not increase their risk of cancer because they do not live long enough to develop it. An average chicken raised for meat only lives a few months.
However, you probably expect to keep your body for many decades. An analysis of the research strongly suggests that an organic diet will reduce exposure to pesticide residues and antibiotic-resistant bacteria as well as artificial hormones.
Most people would rather not ingest excess chemicals that are designed to kill insects. They also don’t want to consume extra antibiotics or hormones in their food. A lot of people would probably tell you that is simply common sense, but they still won’t buy organic food.
Critics say that there is absolutely no evidence that organic food has significantly more nutritional value than non-organic food. However, that argument misses the point. The argument should not be about what organic meat, poultry, or grains contain, but it should be about what they do not contain. They do not contain chemical pesticides, artificial hormones, and additional antibiotics.
Some organic food advocates say that organic food is also healthier, and they would like the conservative scientists to explain what they mean by “significantly.” Analysis has demonstrated that organic food has an average of a 12 percent higher level of nutrients than non-organically grown or raised food. Spread over multiple servings a day, this might be significant.
Additionally, organic produce has higher levels of natural antioxidants. These nutrients help human cells protect themselves from cancer and problems of aging.
Is Organic Food Better?
There is no doubt that organic food costs more. Advocates of chemicals, hormones, and multiple antibiotics say that their practices help keep food prices lower. However, advocates of organic farming insist that non-organic food is not really cheaper if it risks consumer’s health.
Some people think the benefits of organic food are debatable, while others swear by their wholesome goodness. So what’s being served at your house tonight? Are you enjoying the advantages of organic food, or are you still debating the issues?
Higher Standards In Quality
In 1990 The Organic Food Production Act was adopted, and it means that any item given the “Organic” label must meet certain standards of quality and production. The highest grade of organic guarantees that nothing poisonous was used in growing or processing the food. While there are measures in place for non-organic foods, they are fairly murky and more open to the personal interpretation of the manufacturer or grower.
Cleaner Groundwater
When food is grown according to the organic standard, there aren’t all the chemicals being washed over produce that can end up contaminating ground water and other sources. Also, organic soil can actually act as a better filter for the water that flows through it, picking up more carbon than regular dirt that has been exposed to a variety of harmful chemicals.
Increased Choices At The Supermarket And Beyond
With the advent of organics, consumers now have a lot more choices available to them, from tomatoes to cotton sheets. Companies have caught on to the demands, and are now making many things in a much better way. These days, people don’t have to buy fish caught by a boat with no standards of health or decency. They can look for an organic label and be assured that improved methods and higher quality prevailed.
Being Kind To Animals
The organic philosophy insists that wildlife be respectfully treated and always taken into consideration, even when farms are expanding. This regard for nature protects the environment and the produce, leaving both your digestive tract and conscience free from a lot of unnecessary debris.
Fewer Modified Genes
While scientists on each side of the GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) debate continue to squabble over how much or how little the process of altering genes can impact the end user (you), these products continue to flood the market. Much of the time, people don’t even realize what they are buying unless they know what little numbers represent on the packaging. Organic foods are never modified at the nucleic level, simply because it just isn’t natural.
Organic food is unquestionably a superior and higher performing product for consumers, as well as better for the environment. If the featured dish on your dining table tonight isn’t organic, then exactly what is it?
It is a very good idea to grow your own vegetables, and if you do so using the organic route, you will be growing food that is very healthy. If you have the right organic food stores you can have complete control over the process, plus the satisfaction of doing it yourself. Make the right preparations by getting in the right stores, and get started on your own organic garden. These gardens can even be indoors if you do not have your own garden space.
Requirements for an Organic Garden
To start out with organic gardening, you need to know what constitutes organic gardening stores needed for the process. They are:
You need to have the right containers for planting, and these can easily be obtained even online or from the local gardening materials supplier. You need to look at soil that is suited to organic farming, essentially one that is absolutely free of chemicals. If you have your own garden plot, you may need to replace the soil, as most garden plots have some chemicals in them, from earlier efforts at growing plants.
Seeds and seedlings are best obtained from nurseries and other agencies. Look for reliable sources. You may also need to get in some domes for seedling protection and other things that you will learn to have, once you start your garden.
Growing your own compost is best for organic gardening and the supplier of your organic gardening stores will have compost crocks and other tumblers that will help to turn your food and kitchen waste into very good compost. Initially this may take some time to get the first batch of compost, and during this time ask your garden supplier to help you out with the right compost.
Soil conditioners include some bio-stimulants that will help both the soil and plant growth. Get the right advice before you use them.
You need organic repellents to keep away the pests. Other pesticides and herbicides that are available off the shelf in most stores, must be scrupulously avoided. Look at natural methods to control pests. This will ensure that your garden is truly organic.
Gardening tools are a must, and the conventional ones are shovels, hoes, plant supports and hoses or watering cans. Gloves can be a help, as can weed pullers and pruning shears.
Growing Indoors
Pests and diseases are less of a problem if you are growing your organic garden indoors. Birds are naturally kept out, but if an open window does attract them, put some reflective surfaces around your indoor garden, or some other devices that will create a noise, when there is wind.
Rodents can be a problem even within a home. Make sure that they do not find your plants tasty, and this can be ensured if you if you spray your plants with solutions of soap, cayenne pepper or garlic. You must be careful to wash of all traces of these sprays, when you harvest your vegetables for your own table.
Containers are better placed on stands, so that the area beneath your plants can be kept clean by the fastidious housewife. Some plants can even be grown in pots that are placed at two levels. This can save space in small apartments while still giving you a number of plants that can grow your veggies. Plants do need to get the effect of whatever sun comes into your home. It can help greatly if you place your plants on platforms or stands that have wheels, so that the task of shifting them to take advantage of the sun, can be an easy one.
Get in the right organic gardening stores and soon you will find that the garden you grow will be one that you point out to others with pride. It can also get you used to eating healthy food, and once you get used to it, you may extend the same principle to all your dietary matters.