Is organic food actually better?

There is a lot of debate surrounding this and no definitive answer, so I am just going to give you some information to think about and you can use that to make your own choices about buying organic or not.

Firstly, let's look at what organic means: Organic means that the food being sold has been grown and produced without pesticides, hormones, antibiotics or any other harmful chemicals and is in its natural state. That certainly does sound healthier doesn’t it?

Typically, foods that have been produced organically are believed to be higher in nutrients than those that have not been produced organically. In addition to this, it is believed that the farming of organic foods is better for the environment, as there is less carbon footprint on organic food production and no use of toxic chemicals, which end up in our soil and our water.

While this may be true, at this stage there is a lack of evidence to prove this and no definitive studies, however common sense would tell us that organic foods would provide a health and environmental benefit, as we all know that chemicals, pesticides, genetically modified foods, hormones and antibiotics are not ideal for our health and even without a study to prove this, we can all practice common sense when it comes to our health. Having an excessive amount of these toxins may place strain on your body over time, as your body tries to detoxify all of these things and as we know, all of our body systems are connected, so if your body is focused on detoxification, there is a good chance you will develop a symptom or illness in another area of your health, possibly hormone imbalances, autoimmune diseases or allergies. This doesn’t mean that you will definitely get any of these if you choose non-organic foods but you may be more susceptible to them and you might not make the connection to the foods that you eat.

Most organically produced food is done so sustainably and in small family owned businesses, not mass produced by large companies. So if you make the choice to choose organic, you are usually supporting a local family who most likely relies on their business to support their family. That in itself is a switch worth making in my opinion, as well as the potential benefits to your health and the environment.

The downside to buying organic foods is that they are generally more expensive, so if you can’t afford the price jump between organic and non-organic foods, it is better to be still eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables that are not organic than to be eating processed foods with very little nutrient value. This is an important point: whether you choose to eat organic or not, it is still healthier to be eating fresh produce, even if it is not organic, as these foods, while they may have chemicals on them or in them, they also still contain the nutrients that you would expect them to and it is certainly better to be gaining nutrients than not gaining nutrients.

Another thing to be aware of is that in Australia, organic food production is not thoroughly regulated, meaning that claims of organic produce can be made without having to prove that these products were produced organically from start to finish. So while we put trust in people claiming to be producing organic foods and we trust that they are doing so from start to finish, we do not know that this is definitely the case.

If we choose not to buy organic foods, we can take measures to help our bodies with detoxification. Some methods to assist your body with detoxification include drinking lemon juice in warm water in the morning, drinking apple cider vinegar in warm water, taking detoxification supplements, utilising detoxifying herbs in your cooking, drinking plenty of water and if you need help with detoxification get help from a professional.

So is it worth making the switch to organic? I believe so but it entirely depends on your beliefs and life circumstances. As I said at the start, these are just some points for you to think about and do what you wish with the information but if you feel like you need any further information or want to chat about this in more detail, get in touch!