Is organic foods really better/healthier than non-organic ones?!
Answers:
They really are, here's why:
"Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled ‘organic,’ a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.” Animals on organic farms eat organically grown feed, aren't confined 100 percent of the time (as they sometimes are on conventional farms), and are raised without antibiotics or synthetic growth hormones.
Organic foods may have higher nutritional value than conventional food, according to some research. The reason: In the absence of pesticides and fertilizers, plants boost their production of the phytochemicals (vitamins and antioxidants) that strengthen their resistance to bugs and weeds. Some studies have linked pesticides in our food to everything from headaches to cancer to birth defects — but many experts maintain that the levels in conventional food are safe for most healthy adults. Even low-level pesticide exposure, however, can be significantly more toxic for fetuses and children (due to their less-developed immune systems) and for pregnant women (it puts added strain on their already taxed organs), according to a report by the National Academy of Sciences.
Pesticide contamination isn't as much of a concern in meats and dairy products (animals may consume some pesticides, depending on their diet), but many scientists are concerned about the antibiotics being given to most farm animals: Many are the same antibiotics humans rely on, and overuse of these drugs has already enabled bacteria to develop resistance to them, rendering them less effective in fighting infection, says Chuck Benbrook, Ph.D., chief scientist at the Organic Center, a nonprofit research organization.
http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/ofp/o…
http://www.redbookmag.com/recipes-home/t…
Organic produce with a thin skin should always be organic. those with a thick skin can be non-organic. Things like organic macaroni are a scam. The macaroni is a processed food.... organic just makes it more expensive. Organic meat is better for you because it does not have the added hormones and the cows are not fed Genetically Modified Corn. The rule of thumb is that any lettuces, or thin skinned fruits or vegetables should be organic.
There is still debate on it. Natural is always better than pesticides of course. If you're talking produce, the general rule is to purchase organic fruits and veggies that have thin skins, and not to worry about it if you're buying thicker skinned items. For example, buy organic apples but not bananas.
The Japanese and French people have the longest life expectancy in the world. They are not into organic foods. What does that tell you? My grandmother did not eat any organic grown foods and she lived to 103. While the man, Albert Howard, who started organic farming died at 74. What does that tell you?
Fruits and vegetables... it's all the same and a marketing gimmick.
I can see the argument for meats, but I think that's a small difference.
All the reasoning for why organic is better is based upon junk science and assumptions.
Nope, it's just more expensive. In some cases non-organic food can even be safer, such as the new breed of chicken that can't spread bird flu.
http://news.discovery.com/animals/chicke…