Health is Worth the Cost

Overall organic living is better for your health in the long run. Organic living is better for the health inside and out of your body. Even though organic products cost more and are a little different than non-organic things, it is worth the price and difference. You can shop for organic fruits and vegetables, meats, and household items and make significant changes to your body and the environment around you.

Organic fruits, vegetables, and meats are foods that are grown or raised without chemicals enhancing their growth.

Also, animals are raised on free-range farms and fed organic grains. Organic living has just recently become popular over the last 10 years. Over the last twenty years, people have been working on ways to enhance organic production. The motivation by the desire of customers to live a better life and have a healthier diet also has increased (Nikolic). In the 1990s people started to care about being organic and be observant about organic products.

People also started to see the different benefits of buying organic. In today’s farming, 63 million acres are being used for organic farming. This is only 1% of fruits and vegetable farms. To be considered an organic product, the product must be certified by the United States Department of Agriculture. Due to the Food Production Act of 1990, where they are required to do onsite testing, to get accurate information (Turner 104). According to Samuel Fromartz, 70% of Americans buy organic products and almost one-fourth of Americans buy it once a week” (qt. in DeCostole).

Get quality help now

Marrie pro writer

Verified

Proficient in: Organic Food

5 (204)

“ She followed all my directions. It was really easy to contact her and respond very fast as well. ”

+84 relevant experts are online

Hire writer

In American households, the most organic product purchased is organic fruits and vegetables (Straub). Studies at Harvard University School of Public Health have discovered that organophosphates, a chemical in non-organic foods, can contribute to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and ADHD, in children. Also, preservatives are put into the fruits to help the fruits last longer on the shelf. This can lead to stomach cancer and can increase asthma attacks. Without the preservatives, your food will also be fresher (Traister). Most people just think about organic fruits and vegetables, buying organic meat and milk is also very beneficial.

Organic beef is the second most bought organic food (Straub). To qualify as organic meat, the animals must be free ranged. This means the animals are not raised in cages. They also must be fed organic grains, no antibiotics or growth hormones can be used on these animals (Turner 104). Adding hormones to animals speed up their growth, which speeds up production. The grain cost is lower also because the animals are reaching their peak faster. When the chemicals are in the animal’s systems, the chemicals are later passed onto the human’s systems. According to Carolien Thompson, “Every year there are cases of sporadic Creutzfeld-Jakob disease, also known as mad cow disease in the United States, according to the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (MISA). Eating organic beef, chicken, pork and other meats is a healthier option.” Organic beef has higher levels of omega-3 fats than non-organic beef. Omega-3 fats help protect against heart disease, organic meat has less fat and cholesterol in general. With organic meat your blood sugar levels can improve, and getting healthy fat can keep your blood sugar at healthy levels. Organic meat also helps fight against cancer. Using organic beef can also help prevent food poisoning (Tamar).

According to, “Is is organic better for your health? A look at milk, meat, eggs, produce and fish,” other organic meats, such as eggs have to be completely organic from the day the egg has hatched. Eggs also have high levels of omega-3 levels. The US has no efficient way to get organic fish (Tamar). Also, organic milk provides healthy omega-3 fats, it also has a longer shelf life (Lallanilla). Not only do we need to worry about what is going into our body, but also what is going into the air we breathe.

The chemicals we put into our homes are harmful as well. Many air fresheners that we use on an everyday basis aren’t the best for our bodies. Air fresheners are filled with all kinds of different chemicals. You should avoid using different fragrances, they have been found to contain toxic chemicals. Benzene and formaldehyde, can cause headaches, nausea, and increase asthma attacks, they have been linked to damage to your nerve system and can be cancerous (Carimé). You can replace these air fresheners with different essentials oils. When cooking, avoid using non-stick pots and pans. This cookware, when heated, releases chemicals that can later develop cancer.

Not only does going organic have benefits for you, but it’s better for our environment also. Organic farming reduces pollution, increases soil fertility, and conserves energy. Farming without pesticides is also better for nearby animals and as well as people who live close to the farms.

The biggest thing people would argue is that the cost is the biggest disadvantage when thinking about organic food. Most families have a grocery budget, not everyone can afford to buy organic products. Not only is it costly to the consumers, but it can be costly for the farmers also. To be an organic farmer, the farm requires a certification, which costs a chunk of money. Growing organic can also take longer to grow and takes more effort to maintain the crops (Whitmore). Not only does it take cost more to maintain the crops, but also growing organic also takes up more farmland. Plus the more tillage there is, the more CO2 is released because the crops don’t use chemicals, they need to till the land more. Tilling means using the tractors to keep up with the crops in preparation for harvesting them, by using tractors (Zaruk).

The higher prices of food have created the unavailability of healthier and better food. Families who have budgets are not always able to pay for the higher-priced products. Environmental Working Group provides a website giving consumers advice on how to shop smart when it comes to putting chemicals in their bodies. Eating purely organic can be very costly. They have provided a list of products that have fewer chemicals. Environmental Working Group tests products for the number of pesticides, they created a list called, “ The Dirty Dozen,” which lists the products with the most chemicals. The food on that list always gets organic. They also created a list containing the least amount of chemicals in your foods, these foods don’t always need to be organic. This list is called, “The Clean Fifteen” (McGuinness 44). Here are some examples of fruits and vegetables that you will always want to buy organic; apples, potatoes, grapes, peaches, and strawberries. These are some fruits and vegetables that don’t always have to be organic they have the least amount of pesticides; avocados, onions, kiwis pineapples, and cantaloupes (Riemenschneider). These foods are always organic and are always good for you, flax seeds and peanuts. Peanuts provide protein and flax seeds are another source of food that can help reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes (Ruhlman 159).

If you are trying to go purely organic there are some tips for making organic living affordable. By buying fruits and vegetables in season, the produce will be fresher and more affordable in season. There are also homemade cleaning products, an all-purpose cleaner is really easy to make and most useful. You can clean your countertops, mirrors, and floors with distilled vinegar, water, and essential oils for scent, and heat until warm to enhance the cleaning power (Carimé). The most affordable thing you could do is start your garden with all organic fruits and vegetables.

Many stores don’t offer a wide variety of options for organic products. This store only sells organic products, Trader Joe’s, Sprouts Farmer Market, and Whole Foods, Walmart also provides a wide selection of organic products.

When it comes to the cost of organic products, buying organic is worth it. It is worth the extra cost because it involves your health and wellbeing. Nowadays cancer is a big deal and common, and buying organic can help prevent that. Most chemicals that are put into our foods, can cause cancer and other illnesses. Of course, eating organic can’t stop cancer from growing, but if organic foods help tame cancer, the cost is worth the protection. Also in organic milk and meats, the omega-3 levels are higher which protects against heart disease and can decrease the risk of depression and strokes. You will also be living a healthier lifestyle, once you get into the habit of buying organic, you will start to only get organic products and see the difference. Most people will argue it’s not worth it, but it is. Your health is always important and should be the main focus of your life.