Why Eat Organic Food?
20, not 10, Reasons to Eat Organic Food, and Still Counting....................

Written or compiled by DH Owens

Why Eat Organic Foods?

Organic gardening and eating organic food protect our children 
 The food choices you make for your children's health when they are in your dominion (control and responsibility) will impact their health in the future. Read more

Children receive up to four times more exposure than adults to cancer-causing pesticides in foods, and they are more vulnerable because of their size and their developing bodies. Even baby foods grown with pesticides show pesticide residues.  Read more

Switching to an organic diet from a conventional one provides a relatively simple way for parents to reduce their children's exposure to several pesticides. Read more

Eating organic protects your own personal health
 Over 400 different pesticides are used in non-organic farming (also known as conventional farming). Pesticides are poisons designed to kill living organisms; their residues are present in the foods we eat. 

Organic agriculture protects our water supply
 Organic farming bans artificial fertilizers which pollute our waters. The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that pesticides pollute the primary source of drinking water for more than half the country's population.

Organic agriculture preserves healthy soils
Over 30 billion tons of topsoil are eroded from crop lands in the U.S. each year, much of it due to the conventional farming practice of mono-cropping (the planting of vast areas with the same crop year after year) and other conventional farming practices. Soil is the foundation of the food chain, which is necessary for the existence of man.

Organic agriculture prevents biodiversity Loss
The loss of a a variety of species (biodiversity) is a critical concern for a balanced ecosystem for our planet. Conventional farmers have ignored the value of preserving a diversity of seed varieties and the lack of natural diversity of plant life has negatively affected soil quality

The world can exist quite easily without man; the world cannot exist without ants, bees, and other creatures.

Organic agriculture supports sustainable practices.
Sustainable farming will be the future of the planet.

Organic agriculture saves energy
Organic farms use more human energy and less fossil fuels. More energy is now used to produce synthetic fertilizers than to till, cultivate and harvest all the crops in the U.S.

Organic food may be more nutritious
Although this is disputed by conventional agriculture, it appears to be true if for no other reason than conventional agriculture uses varieties which have been selectively bred for fast growth and high production. Read more

Organic foods contain more antioxidants. 
Fruits and veggies grown organically show significantly higher levels of cancer-fighting antioxidants than conventionally grown foods.  Research suggests that pesticides and herbicides actually thwart the production of phenolics--chemicals that act as a plant's natural defense. Read more.

Organic foods are not genetically modified.
The only way to make certain you are not eating genetically modified foods in North America is to eat organic.

Organic farming nurtures and protects wildlife.
Since World War II, conventional agriculture has destroyed wildlife. Organic farming works with nature to provide a safe place for wildlife.

Organic foods protect farm worker health.
Farm workers have higher exposure to harmful pesticides.

Organic foods generally taste better.
Many people prefer organic food because they say it tastes better. A number of top chefs in the United States and Europe choose organic foods for the pure taste of organics.

Organic food sales help small farmers
Although more and more large scale farms are making the conversion to organic practices, most organic farms are small independently owned and operated family farms of less than 100 acres. 

Eating organic foods supports a true economy.
Conventional food prices do not reflect hidden cost borne by taxpayers, including federal subsidies, pesticide regulation and testing, hazardous waste disposal and clean up, and environmental damage.

Organic foods meet high standards.
Organic certification standards in Europe and the United States are the public's best assurance that their food  is grown and  handled according to strict sustainable procedures.  

Eating organic foods reduces potential health risks. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers 60% of all herbicides, 90% of all fungicides, and 30% of all insecticides as potentially cancer causing. Many EPA-approved pesticides were registered long before extensive research linked these chemicals to cancer and other diseases. 

Organic agriculture helps maintain our rural communities. Industrial agriculture dramatically reduces the number of farming operations. Given that the majority of organic farms are independent and small in size, organic agriculture represents one of the few readily available and viable strategies for the survival of rural communities.

Processed organic foods contain fewer additives.
Organic food which is processed doesn't contain as many food additives as multiple food additives.  

Animals raised to organic standards have fewer antibiotics.
Routine use of antibiotics are prohibited in organically-raised meat products.

Want to garden organically? Click here

Transition into Organic Foods
Interested in changing your eating habits? This educational and fact-filled book is a simple read with easy to understand differences between conventional, organic, and natural foods.

More Information