Organic food – or what used to be just food. Agriculture has changed into profit-maximizing intense farming. They use synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and GMOs which drift to our bodies with the food we eat and drink. Pesticides can cause cancer and damage our nervous-, and reproductive systems. Why are there so many cancer and autoimmune diseases these days? It’s probably a combination of many things that we are affected by, and pesticides and other unnatural methods are one of them.Â
Non-organic farming uses genetically modified organisms (GMOs), antibiotics, chemicals, and hormones to grow our food. Everything transfers to our bodies and can cause some serious illnesses. For example, what does hormone-grown beef do to people and their hormones and overall health?
What does organic food mean?
Organic farming is an ecological way to produce food that uses only natural methods and substances. The organic farmer relies on prevention and natural and mechanical methods instead of chemical pestisides. The well-being of the soil prevents many plant diseases, and with a versatile crop rotation, pests stay under control. In addition to the crop rotation, weeds are combated by weeding, flaming, tilling the soil, and sowing underplants.
Organic farming uses natural substances produced by plants like fungal spores and bacteria. They break down quickly in nature.
Produce can be called organic if it’s certified to have grown on soil with no prohibited substances applied for three years before harvest. Prohibited substances include most synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. (U.S.)
Farms that have been in organic production for a long time have been found to have fewer pests. The reason may be the greater diversity and the increase in the number of natural enemies.
A study conducted in California found that the numbers of common tomato pests were lower on farms with organic production. The reason could be the accumulation of salicylic acid in tomato leaves, which reduced the attractiveness of tomatoes for pests. This natural defense reaction has been thought to have a connection with the microbiome of the soil.
Top 10 products with the most pesticides in 2022 (U.S.)
- Strawberries
- Spinach
- Kale, collard, and mustard greens
- Nectarines
- Apples
- Grapes
- Bell peppers
- Cherries
- Peaches
- Pears
Organic food items are often more expensive than intense farmed products, but to protect your health, it’s important to use organic products as much as possible. If you do use non-organic items, you can soak your vegetables, berries, and fruits in water-diluted vinegar. Let soak 1 part vinegar and 4 part water for about 15 minutes, then rinse.
Please read our post about healthy lifestyle.