201003252 Opinion Essay Unit 4

Benefits of Organic Food

In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in the availability of organic foods. Organic foods have become overwhelmingly clear that consuming only orgainic fruits and vegetable have a number of benefits.

 

The Soil Association stated, " On average, organic food has higher vitamin C, higher mineral levels and higher phytonutrient plant compounds that fight cancer than conventional food." Organic foods have been shown to have a positive impact on human health. Most foods are grown using many chemicals, some of which eventually end up being consumed by people. Research has proven that eating chemical additives harms humans over time. The British Society of Allergy, Environmental and Nutrional Medicine States, "We have long believed the micronutrient deficiencies common in our patients have their roots in the mineral-depletion of soils by intesive agriculture, and suspect that pesticides exposures are contributing to the alarming rise in allergies and other illnesses". The consumption of artificial additives found in non-organic foods causes health problems. However, since organic foods are grown without pesticides, people do not have to worry about unexpected health concerns from eating chemicals.

 

Next, organic foods also benefit the environment. Traditional farming techniques dump hundreds of pesticides into the ground every year. Additionally, chemicals used in famring remain in the ground for many years afterwards. Organic foods, on the other hand, do not use any harmful pesticides or fertilizers. As a result, there are fewer pollutants entering the Earth's land and water systems.

 

Finally, the consumption of organic foods also benefits small farmers and keep rural communities healthy. The USDA predicts "by the year 2000, half of the U.S farm production will come from 1% of farms. Organic farming may be one of the few survival tactics left for the family farm and the rural community." Most of the world's supply is produced and sold by large coporations. This makes it difficult for small farmers to compete. However, the majority of organic foods are grown on family farms. Buying more organic food will give small farmers the opportunity to be alble to make a living off of farming.