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Dietician Sheela Seharawat

Why should we focus on Organic Diet? It’s Benefits.

There are numerous ways these days that we can do to improve our health, and one of the most preferred and beneficial way is to shift to an all organic diet. The fast paced modern lifestyle and revolution has taken us away from natural products. With the advent of technology, the bend towards fast and easy foods became more popular and people seldom have the patience to wait for products that are produced in all natural ways. It also means that to meet up to the new demands the use of fertilizers and pesticides using chemicals have increased to get more yield and productivity. But saying all these, still organic produces are possibly the best source of food that we can have today.

What do you mean by Organic Foods?
The word ‘organic’ refers to the way of growing and processing agricultural products. Which means that it is a way that encourages agricultural products to be grown in a natural environment without the use of any synthetic pesticides, chemical based fertilizers, bioengineered genes and sewage sludge based fertilizers. Organic livestock that are raised for meats, eggs and dairy supplies are given organic feed and have access to the outdoor environment. They are not given any antibiotics or growth hormones, nor any animal by-products.

The benefits of Organic produces
How a food is grown or raised can have deep impact on our physical and mental health and the environment as whole. Organically raised and grown foods are nutritionally richer, such as anti-oxidants, and are also good for people who develop allergies from chemicals and preservatives.

Organic foods are fresher: last longer as it does not use preservatives. In most of the cases (not always) organic products are sold near where they are produced.

Organic products have lesser pesticides: conventionally grown agro produces use pesticides, fungicides, insecticides and herbicides and the residues of which remains in and on the food that we eat. Since organically grown yields use nothing of it, there is no chances of having them in the food.

Organically raised animals are free of any harmful antibodies: animals raised organically are allowed space to move around and access the outside environment, which makes and keeps them healthy. Feeding livestock with animal by-products increases the danger to animals having Mad Cow Disease and the use of antibiotics can increase the chances of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria in such animals.

Organic Milk and Meats are richer in nutrient values: the levels of certain nutrients like omega – fatty acids, are almost 50% more in organically raised livestock as compared to the ones that are conventionally raised.

Organic farming is good for the environment: this way of farming encourages non-polluting, water conserving, reduced soil erosion, enhanced soil fertility and use of less energy means of farming. This way of farming practices are good for nearby animals, birds and also humans.

Organic means its GMO-free: GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) or GE (Genetically Engineered) plants are those who’s DNA have been altered in a way that cannot occur naturally or by traditional means of crossbreeding, in order to be resistant to pesticides an chemicals.

Organic Foods and Our Health
In general, organic food has many benefits over and above that of conventional foods. The biggest advantages of organic foods are:

• Rich in nutrients: according to studies it has been revealed that organic foods are rich in nutrients as compared to their similar counterparts grown conventionally.
• Tastes better: it may not as taste as good as those addictive junk foods high in processed sugar and MSG, but as in a short time when the body starts experiencing healthier organic foods, all the craps would taste bitter and organic will be the ones you will crave for.
• Helps in building stronger and healthier you: without the negative effects of pesticides and harmful chemicals the body gets healthier and nutrient richer foods and thereby becomes stringer and resilient against illness, diseases and disorders.
• It’s safe from the effects of dangerous chemicals: herbicides and fertilizers have been linked with causing cancers, cardiac diseases, infertility, immunity disorders, hypertension and many other diseases. Organic produces are all free from these.
• It’s free of harmful pesticides: the chemicals used in pesticides has been known for causing breast, prostate and other cancers, infertility, leukemia, lymphoma, immune and endocrine disorders, depression and what not.

Organic produces can help you to enjoy what you eat for all the reasons known to us. People who are literally addicted to modern day food habits may find it slightly difficult to switch over to Organic diet instantly but in the long run these changes in their food habits will naturally benefit them in terms of health and fitness.
Organic diet are also environment friendly as organic farming does not pollute agricultural fields. The natural manures that are used in the segment prevents pollution of the soil. The water outlets from these agricultural fields minimize water pollution and since no pesticides are used, this process of farming eliminates air pollution also. Toxic elements are virtually eliminated from the food practices and this leads to many healthy lives in the long run.