Why is Organic Food Better than Conventional Food?

By Eugene Sohn on August 17, 2012

Why do some people eat organic food instead of conventional food?

As more people learn about health and diet, there are increasing demand for organic food. If you don’t know a lot about organic food, then you might wonder what the difference is and if it’s worth paying the extra price.

One of the major benefits of organic food is that it’s pesticide-free. There are various types of pesticides that can hurt one’s health. For example, organophosphates and carbamates can affect the nervous system and can cause tension, anxiety, headaches, slurred speech, tremor, convulsions, and even death according to a study done by Elmhurst College. Others may irritate the skin or eyes or affect the hormone or endocrine system in the body. You can learn more about the different types of pesticides on the EPA’s human health risk assessments at their website.

Some studies have found certain organically grown foods to have higher nutrient contents and even taste better. For example, researchers write that organically grown strawberries contain more antioxidants and vitamin C than conventional berries.

However, not every organic food has enough benefits to overcome the price. For example, organic bananas cost 78 cents a pound, 30 cents more than regular bananas, but there is almost no health benefit to buying organic in this case, according to Charles Benbrook, technical director of the nonprofit Organic Center for Education & Promotion.

With that said, it’s best to know which fruits and vegetables have more pesticide residues than others.
The following are the most contaminated fruits and vegetables in order by the amount of residue: peaches, strawberries, apples, nectarines, celery, pears, cherries, potatoes, sweet bell peppers, raspberries, and imported grapes. These are the least contaminated vegetables and fruits in order by the amount of pesticide residue: sweet corn, avocados, pineapples, cauliflower, mangos, sweet peas, asparagus, onions, broccoli, bananas, kiwi, papaya.

Ultimately, it is better to buy organic food compared to conventional food. However, if you have a limited budget on food, then it’s wise to know which foods are more beneficial to buy organic and which foods are going to be the same when conventional food is bought.

If you would like to get new articles on health-related topics, check out the Organic All The Way Facebook page.

 

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