What does “organic” mean?
The term “organic” refers to the way agricultural products are grown and processed. While the regulations vary from country to country, in the U.S., organic crops must be grown without the use of synthetic pesticides, bioengineered genes (GMOs), petroleum-based fertilizers, and sewage sludge-based fertilizers.
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| Organic Foods: What You Need to Know What does “organic” mean? Why Is Organic Food Getting More Popular ?! |
Organic livestock raised for meat, eggs, and dairy products must have access to the outdoors and be given organic feed. They may not be given antibiotics, growth hormones, or any animal by-products.
Why Is Organic Food Getting More Popular ?
Fruits and vegetables where the organic label matters most According to the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit organization that analyzes the results of government pesticide testing in the U.S., the following fruits and vegetables have the highest pesticide levels so are best to buy organic:
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| Organic Foods: What You Need to Know What does “organic” mean? Why Is Organic Food Getting More Popular ?! |
- Apples
- Sweet Bell Peppers
- Cucumbers
- Celery
- Potatoes
- Grapes
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Kale/Collard Greens
- Summer Squash
- Nectarines (imported)
- Peaches
- Spinach
- Strawberries
- Hot Peppers
- Fruits and vegetables you DON’T need to buy organic
- Known as the “Clean 15”, these conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables are generally low in pesticides.
- Asparagus
- Avocado
- Mushrooms
- Cabbage
- Sweet Corn
- Eggplant
- Kiwi
- Mango
- Onion
- Papaya
- Pineapple
- Sweet Peas (frozen)
- Sweet Potatoes
- Grapefruit
- Cantaloupe
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| Organic Foods: What You Need to Know What does “organic” mean? Why Is Organic Food Getting More Popular ?! |
How your food is grown or raised can have a major impact on your mental and emotional health as well as the environment. Organic foods often have more beneficial nutrients, such as antioxidants, than their conventionally-grown counterparts and people with allergies to foods, chemicals, or preservatives often find their symptoms lessen or go away when they eat only organic foods.
Organic produce contains fewer pesticides. Chemicals such as fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides are widely used in conventional agriculture and residues remain on (and in) the food we eat.
Organic food is often fresher because it doesn’t contain preservatives that make it last longer. Organic produce is often (but not always, so watch where it is from) produced on smaller farms near where it is sold.
Organic farming is better for the environment. Organic farming practices reduce pollution, conserve water, reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and use less energy. Farming without pesticides is also better for nearby birds and animals as well as people who live close to farms.
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| Organic Foods: What You Need to Know What does “organic” mean? Why Is Organic Food Getting More Popular ?! |
Organically raised animals are NOT given antibiotics, growth hormones, or fed animal byproducts. Feeding livestock animal byproducts increases the risk of mad cow disease (BSE) and the use of antibiotics can create antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. Organically-raised animals are given more space to move around and access to the outdoors, which help to keep them healthy.
Organic meat and milk are richer in certain nutrients. Results of a 2016 European study show that levels of certain nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids, were up to 50 percent higher in organic meat and milk than in conventionally raised versions.
Organic food is GMO-free. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) or genetically engineered (GE) foods are plants whose DNA has been altered in ways that cannot occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding, most commonly in order to be resistant to pesticides or produce an insecticide.
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