Is organic food really better? The FOUR reasons to switch to organic food
Biologist asks policy makers to ban harmful pesticides
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Organic food consumption has soared in recent years in the UK, with the UK’s organic market now worth £2.79 billion after a 12.6 percent growth in sales in 2020. Last year, more than £50 million per week was spent across the nation on purely organic food. The only thing that puts some people off choosing organic food is the price, for example, organic milk can be 70 percent more expensive. Not sure what all the fuss is about? Express.co.uk chatted to the experts at Healthy Supplies (https://www.healthysupplies.co.uk/) to find out the four reasons why organic food is the better option.
When choosing your food in the supermarket or online, you might be tempted to go for the cheaper option.
While the decision seems pretty straightforward after a quick glance at the price difference between organic and non-organic, there’s more to it than that.
The experts at Healthy Supplies have revealed four reasons why organic food is better for your body and the environment.
Organic is safer
The truth is, organic food could be slightly safer than non-organic food.
In an ideal life, we would have amazing nutrients growing on our doorstep and would snack on protein-rich greens and nuts all the time.
The reality is, though, that most of us have to rely entirely on whatever our local supermarket has to offer.
The experts explained: “While most studies cannot yet prove that organic food is more nutritious, it is fair to say that there are other reasons why organic foods are considerably healthier and safer to eat.
“Non-organic products often contain chemicals and pesticides which are simply not good for you.
“If we stop to think about the pesticides, unlike the appetising ruby apples that they help to shape, it is not very inviting.
“In fact, pesticides are designed to kill and are therefore poisonous by nature.
“Ingesting these substances can have collateral effects on our body, which vary from diarrhoea, vomiting, and asthma to cancer, infertility, and neurological problems.”
Support the wildlife
A huge 41 percent of Britain’s wildlife species has decreased over the last 50 years and one in 10 species is facing extinction.
Most of us know the state of affairs when it comes to animal extinction, but did you know that the use of chemicals and pesticides in farming plays a significant role in this trend?
Insects, in particular, have been suffering the most and major global reports also foresee if intensive farming practices continue the way they are, insects will struggle to last for more than a century.
You might not consider wasps and praying mantises ‘cute’ but all insects are all part of a balanced ecosystem that gives other animals food and nutrients.
On top of that, insects like bees are ‘pollinators’ that fertilise plants and enable them to produce seeds… without them, we would find it very challenging to find potatoes and strawberries on our plates or coffee in our mugs.
Organic food farms, on the other hand, help to protect and incentivise wildlife.
The experts said: “Not only are organic farmers allowed to use only 20 pesticides (as opposed to the over 400 adopted in non-organic farming), but these products also derive from natural ingredients and are permitted under restricted circumstances solely.
“What is more, for every 10 percent increase in insect-friendly environments, biodiversity grows by more than a third. What is not to like?”
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Think of the animals
If you eat meat and dairy products, it’s important to consider animal welfare in the food production chain.
Animal welfare is a top priority for organic farmers and their animals are kept and treated on the basis of their natural needs and behaviour, allowing them to roam in ample habitats and enjoy indispensable outdoor space, the experts at Healthy Supplies explained.
They said: “Failure to do so will not only have an impact on the wellbeing of cows, pigs, or sheep, it will also have a detrimental knock-on effect on the environment.
“Indeed, by crowding too many animals within a hectare of land, the farm ecosystem will not have the means to absorb all the manure produced.
“Needless to say, the excess manure will ultimately end up affecting the atmosphere or the groundwater.”
Combat climate change
Alongside impacting our wellbeing and afflicting wildlife and biodiversity, the use of chemicals and pesticides in non-organic farming contributes to the acceleration of climate change as well.
From causing long-term contamination of water supplies to accentuating soil degradation and erosion, it is clear that non-organic food does not do our environment any favours.
The organic food experts said: “By using compost as its main fertiliser, organic farming instead enriches the soil and boosts the biological activity underground.
“Moreover, it keeps water supplies limpid and clean by blocking toxic runoff from chemicals and pesticides.
“In short, by consuming organic food, you are also playing a vital part in combating the increasing phenomenon of climate change.”
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