The word "organic" refers to the way farmers process and grow agricultural products including fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products and meat. Organic food is grown to work with nature and without the use of artificial fertilisers, synthetic drugs, synthetic pesticides and GMOs. Not only are organic foods beneficial for your health but also for the environment, keeping harmful chemicals out of our soil, water and air, ensuring a healthy environment rich with nutrients. How do you tell if a product is genuinely organic?
Newly available, for the first time in Australia, is the Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA) guide to understanding organic standards, free and downloadable for consumers at
www.bfa.com.au. The guide is an easy reference for consumers to understand the entire certified organic system. Organic certification is when an organic certifying group audits a business’ methods to ensure that they comply with strict national or international standards for organic farming.
Why choose organic?
There are countless reasons to buy organic. These include and are not limited to:
-Organic foods contain more nutrients
-Reduce and eliminate harmful chemicals from your diet
-Range of health benefits
-Free from GMOs
-Strict certifying standards
-Eat the highest quality and best tasting foods
-Better for the environment
-Improve soil quality, water purity and bio diversity
-Protect the health of farm workers
-Protect and ensure humane animal treatment
Many studies provide mounting evidence that the benefits of organic food are more nutritious than ordinary produce and may in fact improve health and lengthen people’s lives. They also contain higher levels of antioxidants and flavonoids which help ward off heart disease and cancer as well as higher levels of beneficial minerals such as iron and zinc.
Newcastle University conducted a 12 million pound, four-year study, funded by the European Union and their findings show that organic food contains more antioxidants and less unhealthy fatty acids.
They found levels of antioxidants in milk from organic cattle were between 50% and 80% higher than normal milk. Organic wheat, tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, onions and lettuce had between 20% and 40% more nutrients than non-organic foods. The research project included growing both organic and conventional test crops of fruits and vegetables. They also reared cattle on a 725-acre site.
Project co-ordinator Professor Carlo Leifert said: "We have shown there are more of certain nutritionally desirable compounds and less of the baddies in organic foods or improved amounts of the fatty acids you want and less of those you don't want. “
A number of studies have also shown that organic food contains higher amounts of vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, iron, chromium and antioxidants. When people consume an organic diet, studies have shown that over a period of time they become healthier, heal faster, have more energy and get sick less often. Organic food tastes the way food should taste, the way nature intended, and is not only good for your health, but also for the environment.