Organically Grown Food vs Traditionally Grown Food

As the world’s population continues to expand, the demand for food is more than ever. This increase in food demand conjointly needs a lot of economical ways in which food can be grown and distributed. Two strategies that are terribly controversial are the organically grown food and standard methodology of conventionally grown food. While many folks support the organic methodology thanks to its legendary advantages, others feel that it is an over inflated industry that cheats consumers out of their money.

But recently many studies have disproved those critics. These studies prove that Organic food may be a better option than typical as a result of its higher for the surroundings, avoids the use of chemicals, and is generally more beneficial.

In order to keep food from being destroyed, conventional farmers use many methods such as pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides. Nearly one billion pounds of those chemicals are used yearly. Because there is an excessive use, many scientists express concern that using artificial chemicals in the farming process could produce unhealthy crops.

People who tend to eat conventionally grown produce over an extended amount of time causes the body to suffer from degraded health and inferior growth (“Organic Foods”). In 1989 the EPA (environmental protection Agency) banned the use of Alar which was a chemical used to ripen apples (“Farming, Organics”).

This chemical according to research is proved to be cariogenic when inflicting tumors in mice after many laboratory tests (“Organic Food”). These findings resulted in a dramatic increase of the sales for organic food (“Organic Food”).

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Another study found that Atrazine (one of the foremost wide used herbicides within the United States) has the potential of being cariogenic and reducing sperm counts in males (“Organic Food”). This was proven after scientists found that chemicals utilized in agriculture like Alar and herbicide, causes a decrease in the sperm counts in fishes and additionally different animals. It conjointly showed that human fetuses that were exposed to those chemicals are at risk of later developing breast or testicular cancers. (“Pesticides”). It is also s shown that pesticides are part accountable for the rising cancer rates and birth defects among kids (“Pesticides”).

Organic farming strategies avoid the utilization of those chemicals and have faith in natural methodology to manage crops (“Farming, Organics”). Examples of these strategies are crop rotation, that consists of planting totally different crops per annum and disrupts the life cycle of pests and provides a natural plant food (“Farming, Organics”). Organic farmers also use natural fertilizers such as sulfur and interplanting methods that alternate crops in the field, which discourages pests to live there (“Farming, Organics”).

By reducing the use of multiple chemicals to control crops, organic farming also ends up being better for the environment. Organic farmers use natural fertilizers like manure so they are doing not unleash artificial chemicals into the bottom (“Organic Food”). In June of 1999 a report created by the U.S. Geologic Survey, found that most waterways and ground water supplies in both urban and rural areas contained enough pesticides to endanger aquatic life (“pesticides”). These chemicals can even leak into streams and encourage the expansion of algae and intoxicate the water (“298 John P. Reganold et.al”).

Furthermore, studies have found that water contaminated with pesticides may accumulate in the tissues of fish, ultimately killing the fish or predators that eat them (“pesticides”). Another drawback of conventional farming is that it depletes the soils nutrients over a short period of time due to the intensive crop cultivation; this makes it necessary to increase the use of synthetic fertilizers (“Farming, Organics”). An example of however the organic methodology is healthier is shown in an experiment known as “The 3 Apple Production System”, in this experiment apples were grown using three different methods; organic, integrated, and conventional. At the conclusion of the experiment, the organic method proved to be more energy efficient and have the least environmental impact because it needs less electricity and machinery to grow the crops (“298 John P. Reganold et.al”).

The sales in organic produce have increased the over the past decade. Many people are turning to organic foods because they maintain a fresher more natural flavor (“Organic Food”). There are also studies that show higher levels of vitamins, minerals and amino acids in certain types of organic food when compare with their conventional counter parts (“Organic Food”). For instance, organic foods such as kiwi and tomatoes have a much higher level of vitamin C and polyphenol antioxidants, which reduce the risk of cancer (“Organic Food”). In addition to being more nutritious, organic foods have many other health benefits.

A study conducted at the University of Washington showed that children who ate conventionally grown foods had six times more pesticides in their urine as opposed to children who had a diet that consisted of only organically grown food (“Organic Food”). This is as a result of the pesticides utilized in the standard farming method will stay food even when it’s been washed (“Organic Food”). Another advantage about organically grown produces is that it will help to improve the world’s economy and poor nations. In a “Farmland in Sub-Saharan Africa ought to be created organic as the simplest way to extend the flow of cash into the region. The food would be healthier, more diverse, and more environmentally sustainable than conventionally grown foods” (“Organic Food”). Also, many local farmers grow organic produce. By buying organic, you help support the farmers in your area (Organic Foods).

In closing despite the facts that many critics argue that organic food is too expensive and isn’t worth the money, the truth is the high cost is what the price of food should be and the cost of conventionally grown food is artificially deflated (“Organic Food”). When considering the true cost of food production from conventional farming, including replacement of eroded soils, cleaning up polluted water, health care for farmers who get sick, and environmental prices of chemical production and disposal, organic farming may truly be cheaper in the long run. Even though organic food sales only make up 2.5% of the U.S food economy the organic food market shows no signs of slowing down (“Organic Food”).