Written by Monica Meldrum, October 2011
More and more people are choosing to buy organic food for themselves and their family, and for very good reasons. ?I often get asked why organically grown foods are better than conventional foods, so, I?ve put together a list of what I think are some of the best reasons to buy organic for yourself and your family.1.
1. No harmful pesticides, chemicals or food additives
Awareness of the health risks and environmental dangers of pesticides and chemical additives in the farming and production of our foods has increased significantly over the past few years. There?s a growing body of evidence to suggest that artificial additives and chemicals in our food contribute to allergies, behavioural issues, birth defects, heart disease, organ and nerve damage, and cancer. Eating organic food is the best way to avoid artificial nasties, pesticides and other chemical residues usually found in conventional foods.
2. Better for us and our children
Babies and children are more susceptible to the health risks from pesticides and food additives because their growing bodies don?t have the same tolerance as adults. During the critical stages of early development, it?s important we nourish our children?s physical and mental growth by providing the most nutritious, natural and healthiest food available. Organic food is the ideal way to give your kids the best start in life.
3. Better for our environment
A fundamental principle of organic farming is working with the existing ecosystem ? just as nature intended. Organic farming promotes healthy biodiversity and environmental sustainability, in contrast to conventional farming which mainly practices intensive mono-cropping, thus depleting the soil of vital nutrients and affecting the health of our waterways. ?Run off from toxic pesticides and herbicides used in conventional farming often contaminate ground water and rivers, thus diminishing marine life, waterway quality and coastal vegetation.
4. Better for animals and livestock
Animals raised under organic farming methods aren?t fed any nasty growth-enhancing drugs, hormones, antibiotics or other chemical feed additives, which can present serious concerns for our health. Also, animal welfare is of paramount importance to organic farmers. Animals reared under organic standards have more access to pasture, shade and shelter, and are not housed in cruel battery sheds, intensive confinement or subject to painful husbandry procedures.
5. Better for farmer workers
Farmers are the ones with work directly with the soil to grow our fruit and veggies. Using intensive conventional farming practices means farmers and their works are handling toxic herbicides, pesticides and synthetic fertilisers all too frequently. By choosing to eat organic, you?re not only making the healthier choice for yourself, but also for the farmers and families who grow the food for your table.
6. More nutritious
There?s more and more evidence that organic food generally contains more nutrients than non-organic food.? We?re indebted to Shane Heaton?s comprehensive review of many research studies analysing the nutrient content of organic and conventional food, which found that, on average, organic food contains higher levels of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and essential oils (Soil Association, 2004).? And according to a group of Welsh researchers, organic milk contains 64% more omega 3 fatty acids. They found that behavioural problems may improve if parents switch their children to organic milk, and that organic milk (compared to non-organic milk) may also reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer?s (Medical News, 2004).
7. No genetically modified nasties
Eating organic food is the best way to avoid the unsafe health and environmental risks of consuming genetically modified (GM) foods.? GM food production is strictly prohibited under organic certification standards. ?Changing the DNA and genetic make-up of a plant or crop has found to cause a range of dangerous side-effects in our food, including an increase in deadly allergens, altered nutritional content, and possible acceleration of organ cancer. With so many potential problems with GM food, why risk it?
8. Supports a fairer economy
Conventional food often doesn?t reflect the true cost of production, with many hidden costs including industry subsidies, environmental degradation, water contamination and soil erosion.? That?s one of the main reasons non-organic food is often cheaper than organic. ?Most of these hidden costs that the conventional food industry doesn?t pay for are passed on (or externalised) to our community, so we end up paying for them through our taxes. ?Also, buying organic means you?re supporting traditional farming methods, and often that means you?re supporting small, independently-owned family farms. With many family farms being bought up by large conventional farming businesses, choosing organic is one way family farms can continue to thrive.
9. Tastes better
Taste is a personal preference, but we can?t help thinking that biting into a juicy ?in-season? organic apple or pineapple is an experience beyond words. There are plenty of studies out there to show that organic food tastes better than conventional, but we believe you should do your own ?market research?.? Pick up some ripe fruit from a quality organic shop, then compare it to what you find in a supermarket.? You?ll quickly notice the difference.
10. Uses less non-renewable energy resources
Organic farming uses less non-renewable fossil fuels as most crop care (including weeding) is done manually or through the use of green manure and cover crops (instead of chemicals). Also, conventional farming uses more petroleum than most other industries through the use of synthetic nitrogen fertilisers.? Organic farmers don?t use inorganic fertilisers.
While organic food can sometimes cost a bit more, the benefits far outweigh the extra cents at the counter.? The more you find out how much better organic food is compared to conventionally grown food, the more you realise how much better value it is for yourself, your family and our environment.
Wishing you and your family the best of health,
Monica
Monica Meldrum
Co-founder
Whole Kids
www.wholekids.com.au
MONICA MELDRUM ? BIO
Monica Meldrum and her husband James are the founders of Whole Kids, Australia?s leading range of certified organic foods for children.? What inspired Monica to establish Whole Kids was her passion for children?s health. Her interest in organics is really quite simple ? food that is free from artificial additives, preservatives, colours and other chemicals (synthetic pesticides and herbicides) is better for our children?s health and their environment. This passion for children?s wellbeing has lead her to dedicate her life to the constant improvement of a healthy yet fun range of products that mums and kids love, and can finally offer a real alternative to ?junk? food.
Prior to establishing Whole Kids, Monica founded Marketing Communications company MEC Admark in Indonesia, headed up Strategy for a division of Boral, implemented Human Resource and Communications strategies at Optus, presented lifestyle program ?Space? on Optus Vision, consulted to Goldman Sachs, Telecom NZ and Satellite broadcaster MediaSat, and has over 12 years experience in the health and fitness Industry.
Monica is a fully accredited Personal Trainer/Group fitness instructor, and an accredited Indonesian Translator and Interpreter. Monica has also engaged in charity work. She was the group leader for an Australia-Indonesia youth exchange program where she lead a group of 16 Australians and their Indonesian counterparts to a remote village in North Sumatra to deliver an aid program to assist the local villagers.
Through their business Whole Kids, Monica and James have also established a non-profit organisation called One Percent for Our Kids that support and funds projects to improve the health of children and their environment.? Find out more at www.onepercent.org.au
Monica has a background in Communications with a Bachelor of Commerce and Marketing, an MBA in International Management (to which she is the youngest to ever be accepted) as well as a Master of Commercial Law. ?She was awarded two separate scholarships for her studies.
Whole Kids website:? www.wholekids.com.au
Notes:
Soil Association? (2004), ?Organic Farming, Food Quality and Human Health: A Review of the Evidence?, research by Shane Heaton for the Soil Association, UK.
Medical News Today (2004), ?Organic Milk Helps Kids Concentrate Better and Behave Better?, http://www.medicalnewstoday.com.
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