An increasing number of people are now choosing to shift to organic-based diet, causing the sales of organic food continuing to rise every year. It is thought that this because of the increasing public concern about pesticide use, as well the increased awareness of food processing and transportation. Now, while this shift comes with a number of benefits, it also comes with several drawbacks. In order to come up with a decision whether organic food is good for you or not, it is important to take a closer look at its pros and cons.
List of Pros of Organic Food
1. It is more diverse and healthier.
Research shows that organic food decreases the risk of heart disease. It states that when food is produced organically, it does not have any hydrogenated fats, which is a main catalyst for heart problems that would arise later in life. Organic farms are also more diverse with regards to plants and animals, which gives consumers more options.
2. It promotes better treatment of animals.
How animals are being treated on farms has become a major concern for many consumers. As people learn more about animal cruelty in traditional farms, more and more of us have decided to make the shift to organic food. As for the livestock that are used to produce organic food, they are fed with a completely natural diet and allowed to live in free-range conditions.
3. It is friendlier to the environment.
Organic farming depends on non-traditional methods and techniques that are geared towards using less herbicides and pesticides. This entails that foods, which are organically grown, are much friendlier to the environment. So, if you want to remove excess chemicals from your diet, then organic food is believed to be the best choice.
List of Cons of Organic Food
1. It may not be actually safer.
Experiments performed on organic food has actually failed to uncover any sort of definitive evidence that it is safer to eat than those being produced via traditional means. Though most people are assuming that organic food is the healthier choice, scientists have yet to fully support this assertion, with research still ongoing.
2. It is often more expensive.
To anyone who has purchased groceries from stores that sell organic food, such as Whole Foods, she would tell you that these products certainly do not come cheap. Some may wrongfully believe that they have paid extra, as the goods that they have purchased are completely free of all chemicals, but actually, food processing always depends on a small number of chemicals, and this does not exclude organically produced food.
3. It has a short shelf life.
Organic food does not have enough preservatives, unlike processed food that can remain on your kitchen shelves for a very long period of time. A huge contributing factor in its lack of shelf life is its lack of irradiation.
Generally, the reason why people had chosen to go organic because they think that such food tastes better, is safer, more nutritious, better for the environment, better for animal welfare, etc. However, there are also people who view these as popular misconceptions and actually not true. Withal, by knowing the pros and cons of organic food, you can make informed choices whether you want to go for it or not.
Crystal Lombardo is a contributing editor for Vision Launch. Crystal is a seasoned writer and researcher with over 10 years of experience. She has been an editor of three popular blogs that each have had over 500,000 monthly readers.