Organic

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In the produce aisle you may find a conventionally grown apple and close to it, you have one that’s organic. Both apples are firm, shiny and red. Which should you choose? Conventionally grown produce generally costs less, but you get what you pay for.

Conventional vs. Organic:

The word “organic” refers to the way farmers grow and process agricultural products, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products and meat. Organic farming practices are designed to encourage soil and water conservation and reduce pollution. Farmers who grow organic produce and meat don’t use conventional methods to fertilize, control weeds or prevent livestock disease. For example, rather than using chemical weed killers, organic farmers may conduct more sophisticated crop rotations and spread mulch or manure to keep weeds at bay.

Here are some key differences between conventional and organic farming.

Conventional:

Apply chemical fertilizers to promote plant growth.

Spray insecticides to reduce pests and disease.

Use herbicides to manage weeds.

Give animals antibiotics, growth hormones and medications to prevent disease and spur growth.

Organic:

Apply natural fertilizers, such as manure or compost, to feed soil and plants.

Use beneficial insects and birds, mating disruption or traps to reduce pests and disease.

Rotate crops, till, hand weed or mulch to manage weeds.

Give animals organic feed and allow them access to forage or free range outdoors. Use preventive measures such as rotational grazing, a balanced diet and clean housing to help minimize disease.

Check the label:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has established an organic certification program that requires all organic foods to meet strict government standards. These standards regulate how such foods are grown, handled and processed. Corrupt organizations and politicians however are trying hard to get these laws changed.

If a food bears a USDA Organic label, it means it’s produced and processed according to the USDA standards. The seal is voluntary, but many organic producers use it.

Products that are completely organic, such as fruits, vegetables, eggs or other single-ingredient foods are labeled 100 percent organic and can carry the USDA seal.

Foods that have more than one ingredient, such as breakfast cereal, can use the USDA organic seal plus the following wording, “100 percent organic” depending on the number of organic ingredients. Products with mixed ingredients must be at least 95 percent organic to use this term.

Do “organic” and “natural” mean the same thing? No, “natural” and “organic” are not interchangeable terms. You may see “natural” and other terms such as “all natural,” “free-range” or “hormone-free” on food labels. These descriptions must be truthful, but don’t confuse them with the term “organic.” Only foods that are grown and processed according to USDA organic standards can be labeled organic.

You Are What You Eat:

A natural and organic food diet should be at the center of a proper nutrition program. Have you ever heard the phrase, “you are what you eat?” By eating natural and organic foods, and consuming lots of fruits and vegetables and through juicing, you can eat your way to good health.

A natural and organic food diet is not a temporary fad; it is a lifestyle change that promotes good health and long life. Because the natural and organic food diet is more likely to provide the nutrition your body needs and also has a cleansing effect on your body, it will allow your body to heal itself. By eliminating the foods that introduce or create toxins in your body, and by eating foods that are natural and organic, you will achieve better health.

Avoid foods that contain artificial sweeteners and other additives. Since these food additives do not naturally occur in nature and are created by man, the human body does not process them correctly. It causes the body to build up toxins and generally leads to bad health. Similarly, use of non-naturally occurring fats and oils can also lead to compromised health. Research now shows that ultra-low fat diets may actually be hurting you and why “good” fats are essential to your health.

Farmers feed growth hormones and antibiotics to animals that are raised for meats and dairy products, in order to increase the output of the farm. Additionally, farmers treat vegetables and fruit they grow with pesticides and chemical fertilizers, which get absorbed into the food. Therefore, eating natural and organic meats and dairy products and organic produce relieves your body of the added burden of processing these chemicals present in the food you eat.

Unless you are consuming 7 – 9 servings of organic fruits and vegetables per day, plus eating a variety of other nutrient rich foods, it is likely that you will need to take a vitamin and mineral supplement to get your daily requirement of these essential nutrients. Although such supplements are not a substitute for eating fruits and vegetables, selecting the right mineral and vitamin supplement can provide much of what your body needs each day. Additionally, unless your vitamin and mineral supplements contain natural fruit and vegetable extracts, you will likely need to take a phytonutrients supplements.

By going “organic” and taking the ShopFreeMart products nutritional supplement you can enjoy a better quality of life and expect to live a lot healthier as well as a lot longer.

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