5 Compelling Reasons to Start Eating Organic Food

Guest post by Amanda Wilks at The Kitchen Advisor.

Nowadays, more and more people are deciding to improve their well-being by making important lifestyle changes. This comes as a welcome course of action considering the world’s modern obesity epidemic that seems to be quickly taking over Western countries from all over this side of the globe.

Making a change towards better living is a challenging task, but one not without its benefits. Your health will improve, and so will your mood and physical fitness. And it all starts with what you choose to eat. From picking out the freshest ingredients to using the best ceramic cookware, cooking a 100% healthy meal is an intricate process.

Why go organic?

Keep in mind that true change in this direction starts on your plate. If you want to adopt a healthy diet, organic produce and free-range animal products are essential. Here are five compelling reasons why.

1. No Chemicals

Several studies quoted by TIME Magazine have demonstrated that reducing the number of pesticides used in the growing of environmentally-friendly produce can lower the risk of several diseases, such as cancer, ADHD and developmental delays in infants. And on top of that, bio crops are 48% less likely to contain cadmium, a heavy metal which accumulates in our kidneys and liver, causing eventual organ failure.

Organic livestock and animal byproducts are also better for our diets because they aren’t grown using antibiotics and synthetic hormones. Even though mass production encourages these practices to get more product faster, these chemicals linger in the foods that end up on supermarket shelves.

By passively being exposed to the antibiotics fed to animals, humans can develop resistance to the medicine, which makes serious illness harder to treat. Furthermore, the synthetic hormones injected into them to make them produce more meat or milk lead to increase cancer risk later in life. Thus, eating only natural foods is a surefire way to stay protected.

2. Better Taste

Thanks to their all-natural growth process, organic foods taste better than conventional ones. The heirloom variety of several vegetables, for example, is cultivated so that taste triumphs over appearance. In the same way, poultry, pork and any other meats will be even more savoury if you choose the natural variety.

Anyone who loves cooking will tell you that fresh, delicious ingredients are the key to obtaining flavorful dishes. Thus, going bio will make better meals that both you and your family can enjoy on a daily basis.

3. Eco-Sustenance

When deciding whether or not going organic is for you, you most likely have your own well-being in mind. But did you know that clean eating is also good for the environment? This type of produce is usually obtained through farming in harmony with nature. This means that soil is preserved through crop rotation.

Furthermore, not using pesticides or other chemicals preserves the ecosystem. It prevents pollution by not bringing in potentially harmful chemicals to disrupt the natural balance of the area. Last, but certainly not least, it supports biodiversity by letting things run their course and not interfering in any way.

4. Antioxidants

Whether naturally grown foods are richer in antioxidants or not has been a long-debated notion in the medical community. Previous research has been inconclusive, but according to medical professionals who participated, this was because the period of time was limited and factors such as weather weren’t considered. According to a six-year-long study published recently in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, organic vegetables have 20% more antioxidants than conventionally grown ones. This means that our cells are less subject to oxidation and free radical damage, which lowers the risk of disease.

5. Healthy Fats

While environmentally-friendly fruits and vegetables might have their own benefits, meat and milk grown and obtained naturally are also better for you. A 2016 British study has shown that these are 50% richer in omega-3 fatty acids, a type of healthy fat which provides the human body with valuable nutrients.

Final thoughts

There are many benefits to choosing organic foods over conventionally grown ones. Consuming them helps lower the risk of several conditions due to lack of chemical remains from pesticides, synthetic hormones, and antibiotics. On top of that, they are full of nutritious elements such as omega-3 fatty acids, and they have a rich antioxidant content as well.

Finally, by choosing natural over mass-produced, you are doing your due diligence to protect the environment. Traditional crop rotation keeps farmland healthy and supports biodiversity, leading to an overall strong ecosystem. And that should be the best reason to choose this lifestyle.