“To keep the body in good health is a duty…otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.” –Gautama Buddha
Have you ever given much thought about what you eat? Did you
ever stop to think about the ingredients of the food you are consuming every
day? Were they sourced? Are they natural or organic? Or are they heavily laden
with chemicals and preservatives?
These are the things we should constantly ask ourselves if
we want to maintain and keep a healthy lifestyle. Having a blasé attitude
towards what you eat would eventually lead to future consequences. Sure, that
salad might not look so appetizing today but choosing that over flavored chips
can make all the difference between a healthy geriatric life and one that would
potentially have you visiting doctors on a monthly basis. Unfortunately, going
organic is not an easy decision—particularly because chemically laden food
items have always been the norm and it can be rather difficult to adapt to this
change. However, if we truly want a healthier lifestyle we have to commit to
choosing organic over conventional food products.
Unfortunately, going organic is not as easy as everyone
might think. Apart from the marked difference in food flavor, organic food
products are a lot pricier than their conventional counterparts. However, price
point aside, going organic has been shown to have a myriad of benefits and
advantages that it significantly outweighs the higher cost. After all, you
really cannot put a price tag on your health. So, think of going organic as a
long-term investment on a healthier lifestyle. In this regard, you can even see
the greater price as an offset to exorbitant medical and clinical fees had you
insisted to keep your conventional diet. If you had been contemplating of going
organic for a while now, perhaps you should visit the Weekend Market in Manila and take a look at
their organic offerings.
In any case, here are some of the excellent reasons why you
should go organic:
You do not deal with chemicals
If you choose to organic, you will only be
dealing with dirt—not chemicals. Of course, dirt is an inevitable consequence
of having natural and organic food. However, while you might be able to wash
the dirt off of conventional food, it is not enough to remove the waxy residue,
chemicals and other pesticides that might have embedded themselves in your
food. Conventional farming uses synthetic pesticides. Studies have shown that
the consumption of such food can lead to chronic diseases and health conditions
with long-term exposure.
Nutritionally Sound
A common misconception among consumers is
that you get about the same amount of nutrients from food regardless of whether
they are sourced organically or conventionally. However, studies have shown
that organic food tends to deliver thirty percent more vitamins and nutrients
than their conventional counterparts. This is because chemicals such as
insecticides, fungicides and herbicides can block a plant’s ability to create
nutrients.
Better Taste
If you have always believed that all food
taste the same whether they are sourced conventionally or organically then
prepare to have your mindset changed. Organic food items have been shown to be
more flavorful than their organic counterparts because the latter does not have
as much antioxidants. More importantly, higher levels of synthetic fertilizers
in conventional sourcing of food compromises soil quality which can eventually
stress the plant and significantly impact its resulting taste.
No to GMOs
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs for
brevity) make up a huge fraction of the most common crops in the world today.
Over the years, people have been encouraged to avoid GMO as research has
heavily alluded to its potentially harmful effects. To ensure that you do not
buy any GMO products, buy only organic.
Promote humane treatment of animals
More often than not, conventional livestock
are sourced from farms that practice inhumane and confined conditions. More
importantly, they are constantly pumped with synthetic hormones to increase
production and keep up with the consumer demand. Unfortunately, these stressful
conditions coupled with the inhuman treatment can cause a significant decline
in the animal’s health and quality of life. Organically sourced products—while
more expensive—have access to the outdoors and are kept in human treatment.
