From The Straits Times    |

Organic food

Image: Cover Media

We’re used to hearing that organic is better for us and, when eating the food, the taste can be so much better. But do we know the ins and outs of exactly why organic is better than bog-standard goods? Here are some pointers to help sway you if you’re unsure whether to take the leap into the world of untreated food.

1. Organic lowers body’s toxins

As the food hasn’t been treated with things such as antibiotics, pesticides and growth hormones, your body will love it even more. The same goes for livestock and dairy. And by eating organic foods you can stop the toxins from other, non-organic meals from building up. A study published last month in the British Journal of Nutrition discovered there are 60 per cent more antioxidants in organic food and by eating it, overall health will be improved.

It was also found that organic produce is lower in heavy metal toxins, and Newcastle University Professor Carlo Leifert, who helmed the study, feels more should be done to avoid these being digested.

“The organic vs. non-organic debate has rumbled on for decades now but the evidence from this study is overwhelming – that organic food is high in antioxidants and lower in toxic metals and pesticides,” he said.

“But this study should just be a starting point. We have shown without doubt there are composition differences between organic and conventional crops, now there is an urgent need to carry out well-controlled human dietary intervention.”

2. Organic is better for the world

It’s a fact that all these weed killers, fertilisers and pest control products aren’t any good for our body or the soil. It has been found that things such as these affect the water quality of rivers and lakes, thus resulting in farmers’ crops, livestock and businesses facing danger. There’s also the fact that we drink the water from these spots, which could lead to problems.

3. Organic tastes better

They might be a bit more expensive, but as mentioned above, organic food really does have more depth of flavour, as it is left in its natural state. Good soil nutrition has also been linked to the production of cancer-fighting compounds called flavonoids. If these are destroyed, we may be missing out on vital beneficial boosts for our body.

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