Organic or non-organic

Is Organic better for you? Do you think eating organic is just a hype? Or do you believe that organic is the way to go?

A few unusual things happened to me last week and I just had to address the issue of organic or non-organic foods with you. I went to bed last night and for some reason could not fall asleep. I was tossing and turning and when I finally got to sleep I had heaps of dreams – dreams about food. I dreamt that this large group of people were demanding that I explain to them why organic food is better for them. So there I was explaining the pros of organic eating, and I was getting quite passionate about it, as I always do when talking about food.

Then I woke up, I went and had my training session, got back home, had a quick shower and breakfast and then sat down to check my emails. This is where the weird stuff started to happen. My first email in the inbox…you maybe guessed it by now, was an email titled “Organic vs Spray Free” – I thought: “WOW…really?” I read the email, and it was just like in my dream.

I went about my day, had dinner and while checking my social media sites I came across a post from WellBeing Magazine, and yes, you guessed right WellBeing’s post was letting me know that Organic Week has started.

Don’t you think this is quite a coincidence? I think the Universe is trying to tell me something.

So, here I am, reliving my dream.

The Australian Certified Organic Standard 2013 defines organic as follows: “The Australian Certified Organic Standard prohibits the use of synthetic agricultural chemicals including pesticides, fungicides and herbicides. Certified organic producers rely on restoring soil fertility by maintaining biological cycles within the farming system through management techniques such as companion planting, minimal tillage and crop rotation”.

One way growers judge the quality of a plant is by the mineral content. More minerals imply a stronger, higher quality plant. Studies have shown that organic food has substantially more minerals – as much as 90% more compared to commercial foods. This suggest that organic foods provide better nutrition on all levels, including greater vitamin quantities and phytonutrients found in the plant. Most people can also taste the difference – richer flavour and aroma.

I remember when my boys were little I took them overseas to my grandmothers farm and we sat down to have lunch. On the table a variety of foods and one of them a tomato salad. My eldest son asked me very quietly: “mum, why is the tomato so sweet and red?” I explained that that is how a tomato should look and taste like. Of course, nothing can beat the taste of a home grown freshly harvested tomato.

And now, a bit about non-organic foods.

So there I was explaining the pros of organic eating, and I was getting quite passionate about it, as I always do when talking about food.

Would you prefer to eat an apple that has not been interfeered in in any way, or an apple that could have been geneticaly modified? I know what I would choose, in my opinion, science meddling with nature can be quite scary. The issue is that nowadays we don’t know where the fruit and veggies have come from, how they were raised and if they are geneticaly modified. Our produce travels far and wide and may be imported too.

Paul Pitchford explains in his book Healing with Wholefoods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition: Gene transfers often disrupt the DNA sequence in an organism. These new genes can alter the cell chemistry and provoke toxins and allergens that the human body has never before experienced, hence in today’s age we have such a high level of allergic reactions and intolerances to a variety of foods.

Genetic engineering of food crops can involve transfer of genes into seeds from various species: animals, fish, insects, bacteria, viruses and more. This means that even when you are eating plant food you may be actually consuming animal genes – not good for vegetarians and vegans.

Meat, poultry and commercially farmed fish a fed genetically modified feed – mostly grain. Animals are not grain eaters in the first place – why do we feed them grain? The grain is genetically modified, sprayed with pesticides, fungicides and insecticides. We buy that meat, make a lovely meal but unintentionally consume all the bad stuff.

One way to avoid GMO’s is to eat locally produced, organic whole foods. Likewise, choosing meat that is organically farmed and grass fed. Get to know your local farmers and growers. Shop at your local farmers markets, ask the right questions. Most farmers are happy to share their experience and their food with you. You will always have beautiful fresh produce and you will support the local economy.

We as consumers have the right to demand organic. By demanding organic, organic produce will become cheaper and more accessible for everyone. Everyone has the right to be able to buy clean, organic food. Organic food that will heal the body as well as the planet. This way, you are the one in control of what and how you eat. You have the power!