Go Organic: Reasons Why You Should Switch To Organic Food

Organic food has been in the news recently! A vast majority of people are opting for organic food. The increasing popularity of organic food is because of good reason. Do you know what the benefits of switching over to organic food are? We will tell you that but first, let us see what organic food is.

What is organic food?

Organic agriculture and farming refer to a way of cultivation and raising livestock that eliminates the use of any kind of fertilizers, chemicals, pesticides, bioengineered genes etc. In simpler words, organic agriculture and farming only use natural resources to grow crops or raise livestock.

How is organic produce different from traditional produce?

• Organic crops are grown using manure or compost instead of chemical fertilizers.
• Organic livestock is not given GMO feed or hormonal injections to increase production.
• Weeds are avoided using methods like tilling, crop rotation and hand weeding etc instead of chemical herbicides.
• Livestock in organic farming is allowed to venture out and feed itself naturally. They are not kept in a restricted and closed atmosphere.
• Pests are kept away naturally through birds, insects etc instead of pesticides.
• A healthy diet, rotational grazing and cleanliness keep livestock healthy. They are not given antibiotics or other medication to keep diseases away.

Why should you switch to organic food?

• Organic food is free of harmful chemicals that may lead to diseases in the human body.
• Organic food is not genetically modified. There is a huge controversy regarding the health and environmental hazards that may be associated with GMOs. Thus, it is better to avoid them.
• Traditional cultivation leads to degeneration of the soil quality due to the use of fertilizers and pesticides. These chemicals are toxic as they kill all other organisms in the soil except the crop itself. Traditional agriculture is destroying the soil and thus we should opt for organic food to encourage organic cultivation.
• Some bugs present in the soil and the atmosphere are in fact essential for the crop. But pesticides kill all organisms around the crop. This hinders natural processes like pollination. Moreover, continued spraying of toxins makes the harmful bugs immune to it. In the long run, nothing benefits. Thus organic farming is important to maintain biodiversity in nature.
• Inorganic farming leads to long-term negative effects on the atmosphere. It exposes the farmers to harmful chemicals, releases toxins in the air and the soil. Organic farming keeps the atmosphere free from pollution.
• Organic matter is used to increase the fertility of the soil in case of organic cultivation. These are nutrient-rich compounds and the nutrient gets transferred into the crop. Thus organic food is way more healthy and nutrient-rich compared to inorganically grown food crops.
• Many swear by the fact that the taste of organically grown food is better than inorganically grown food. Compare the tomatoes you buy from the market to those that grow naturally in your or your acquaintance’s farmhouse.
• The herbicides, pesticides, insecticides etc and other chemicals used for inorganic farming are ultimately washed into our oceans and rivers. This pollutes the water and exposes marine life to toxins. Thus, to keep our earth free of pollution, organic farming should be encouraged.

We should all play a small part in restoring the natural eco-system of the planet and free it from toxins and pollutants. Opting for organic food may be a small contribution towards this cause but in the long-run, it will lead to unbelievable results. So from now on, go organic!