Organic Foods? Please Turnip the Beet!

Ever wonder why organic foods are so popular? According to Statista, the number one global data and statistics provider, in 2020, almost 95 million people in America prefer to eat organic foods (“U.S.”). In addition, Jamie Ballard, a data journalist and strategist, shows that 40% of the population in California prefers to eat and buy organic foods (Ballard). That’s quite a lot of people that consume organic food, but what is organic food and why is it so popular? Let’s start with the basic facts.

According to Mary Jane, a trusted writer on the Healthline website, “organic” refers to foods grown without pesticides, GMOs, artificial chemicals, hormones, etc. Because organic foods are created without these products, it makes them healthier and a more natural product for humans to consume and digest. Think of it like this: our ancestors have been growing crops for over centuries, and organic was their only way of growing food. Now, some pesticides and chemicals can make crops bigger, sweeter, and juicer for us to enjoy. However, it comes with a consequence: it is not as healthy and natural for the human body. Non-organic farming, also known as conventional farming, has a lot of chemicals, and eating conventionally grown foods means that you’re consuming chemicals. Organic food was created by the idea of organic farming, which means it’s a more traditional way of growing food naturally. Mayo Clinic, a trusted health and medicine website since 1995,

shared that the goals of organic farming were to “Enhance soil quality, reduce pollution, provide safe healthy livestock habitats, enable natural livestock behavior, and promote a self-sustaining cycle of resources on a farm” (“Nutrition”). But how do we know if something is organic? Well, many foods in the U.S. have a label on them that says USDA Organic. This is to show that 95-100% of the product is organic, or they used products that are organic to make it. Organic foods tend to be more expensive, and that is because it is more natural and healthier than conventional foods. Even though organic foods are more expensive, there are many benefits to organic foods, and according to Mayo Clinic, organic foods contain more omega-3 fatty acids, nutrients, and less pesticide residue. The National Library of Medicine shared a study that showed why organic foods contain more nutrients. They concluded that the growth process of the plant is “Due to differences in the ground cover and maturity of the organic farming operation” (Crinnion). This means the environment the plants are grown in can affect the number of nutrients it contains, and many times organic foods are grown in a better, more natural environment. This makes the food a little more healthy than non-organic foods. It doesn’t mean that non-organic foods are always unhealthy, but organic foods do tend to contain more nutrition (“Nutrition”).

All of this to say, organic foods are healthier for the human body and better for the environment. If you ever go to a grocery store, make sure you talk to your parents about buying organic foods.

References

Ballard, Jamie. “Many California Residents Think Their Diet is Healthier Than Most.” YouGov America. 2 Oct. 2018. today.yougov.com/topics/food/articles-reports/2018/10/02/california-healthy-organic. Accessed 21 Nov. 2021.

Brown, Mary Jane. “What is Organic Food, and Is It Better Than Non-organic Food?” Healthline. 16 Sep. 2021. www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-is-organic-food. Accessed 21 Nov. 2021.

Crinnion, Walter J. “Organic Foods Contain Higher Levels of Certain Nutrients, Lower Levels of Pesticides, and May Provide Health Benefits For the Consumer.” Pubmed.gov. National Library of Medicine. 15 Apr. 2010. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20359265/. Accessed 22 Nov. 2021.

“Nutrition And Healthy Eating.” Mayo Clinic. 8 Apr. 2020. www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/organic-food/art-20043880. Accessed 21 Nov. 2021.

“U.S. Population: Do You Use Organic Foods?” Statista. Nov. 2020. www.statista.com/statistics/281197/us-households-consumption-of-organic-foods/. Accessed 21 Nov. 2021.