According to the United State of America, “Organic is a labeling term that indicates that the food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods that integrate cultural, biological and mechanical practices that promote resource cycling, promote ecological balance, and preserve biodiversity.”
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. So, we have compiled a list of the 5 facts on organic products you should know. Let’s start!
1. Organic Foods Are Often Fresher
All organic products are required to be often fresh and healthy because it doesn’t contain any preservative that gives a longer shelf-life. Organic produce is often (but not always) produced on smaller farms near where it is sold. They also taste better and of good quality compared to conventional farming.
2. Organically raised animals are NOT given antibiotics, growth hormones, or fed animal byproducts.
For instance, 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 and access the outdoors which helps to keep them healthy.
3. Organic Foods are GMO-free
GMO 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.
4. Organic products are Free Of Pesticides
Organic farmers use insect traps, careful crop selection (disease-resistant varieties), predator insects or beneficial microorganisms instead of pesticides to control crop-damaging pests. When farmers spray pesticides, this can leave residue on the produce which can be harmful to our health.
5. Organic products must contain at least 90% organic ingredients
As much as organic are pesticide-free, there are more than 40 organic crop protection approved by the organic materials institute that can be used and are less harmful to the product.
Multi-ingredient agricultural products in the “Made with organic” category must contain at least 90 percent of certified organic ingredients (not including salt or water). These products may contain up to 10 percent of allowed non-organic ingredients.