Organic food refers to fruits, vegetables, meat, and other foodstuff that are grown, raised, and processed through organic farming. Organic produce don’t have any bio-engineered modifications, which means that their DNA isn’t altered and they grow through natural processes. They’re also grown without any synthetic pesticides as well as fertilizers that are based on petroleum products or sewage sludge. Organic meat, meanwhile, is taken from animals that are fed only organic food, aren’t given antibiotics and synthetic growth hormones, and aren’t fed any animal by-products.
Organic food has grabbed the attention of many people in the recent years because of the benefits it provides, but there are many people who dismiss it as a marketing hype. To know more about the two sides of this argument, it’s essential to learn about the pros and cons of organic food.
List of Pros of Organic Food
1. It’s safer and healthier than traditionally grown food.
Organic food is deemed to be highly safe since it’s free from antibiotics as well as synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, and growth hormones, most of which can harm the human health. It’s also believed to contain more nutrients since plants that are not exposed to pesticides produce more vitamins and antioxidants to become more resistant to pests.
2. It promotes ecologically sound farming processes.
Organic farming is considered to be friendlier to the environment since it helps improve soil fertility and reduce soil erosion and doesn’t use synthetic pesticides and fertilizers that can be harmful to nature. Studies also show that it uses around 50 percent less energy than traditional farming and produces less greenhouse gasses.
3. It promotes animal welfare.
As mentioned above, organically raised animals aren’t given any synthetic growth hormones, which means they can grow normally. Many organic farms also ensure that the animals have clean and hygienic surroundings and allow them to roam outdoors.
List of Cons of Organic Food
1. It’s costly to produce.
Since organic farming bans the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers (which are cheap and easily available), farmers have to use compost and animal manure. These aren’t always available on site, though, so farmers must pay expensive fees to have these shipped to their location. They also have to hire more laborers to manually remove weeds, clear out polluted water, and do other tasks.
Aside from the farming process, the post-harvest handling of organic produce also contributes to its high costs. They’re usually transported in small quantities since most organic farms can’t produce high volumes, resulting to higher shipping costs.
2. It’s more expensive than traditional food.
The cost of growing and shipping organic food makes it pricier than conventionally grown food. It’s usually 20 to 50 percent more expensive, although there are cases when it costs 100 percent more than its traditionally grown counterparts. As a result, those who are on a tight budget usually find that they can’t afford to buy organic food.
3. It’s not always available in all places.
Even if consumers can afford organic food, it may not always be available in their local grocers or supermarkets. This is particularly true if they live too far away from an organic farm. Since organic produce spoil easily since they don’t contain artificial preservatives, shops can’t stock up as much organic foodstuff as they want to and they may quickly run out of stock.
Conclusion
Organic food comes with a wide range of health and environmental benefits. However, they also present drawbacks and might not always be available to those who have tight funds or live far away from organic farms.