What is Organic Grocery

Nowadays, everyone is talking about organic foods. I have been wondering whether it is just a fad or people want to try out something new. Human beings have been eating normal or non-organic food and groceries for generations and have survived. So what is the big deal about “organic”! To clear your doubts, let us try to find out what is organic grocery. 

Our usual groceries and green groceries are produced using chemical fertilizers like ammonia nitrate. This implies that the soil is enriched with these chemicals so that the same land will produce better crops and more harvests in a year. This is an artificially-created condition and the produce will imbibe some of the chemicals through the roots. Also, in order to protect crops from pests and insects, chemical sprays are used to repel them. Some of the harmful effects of these chemicals are inherent in the groceries that we consume. Long-term consumption can cause many degenerative diseases like cancer, neurological disorders, birth defects, or worse.

Whereas, organically grown groceries imply that no artificial methods are used in the production of the groceries. The organically grown products have the following qualities:

·The groceries are grown without using genetically modified organisms, pesticides, fertilizers, sewage sludge, or ionization techniques

·Animals that provide meat, eggs, poultry, and dairy products are not given antibiotics or hormones

·The products are inspected and certified by the appropriate Government authorities as safe and organically grown

·The products do not contain preservatives

·Organic groceries taste better.

To find out what is organic grocery, let us check how organic food is grown and see if it is really beneficial or not.

v How organic groceries are grown

Without the use of chemicals, how do the organic farmers prevent damage to crops and get the best harvest? They use natural methods to get good results. For example, they use natural manure and compost as fertilizer. They use old-fashioned methods of crop rotation and weeding to remove the weeds and let the crops flourish. Traps are used to catch insects, rabbits, and rodents instead of chemicals poisons. Livestock feed does not contain hormones or genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The livestock is also not given strong antibiotics. Instead, diseases are prevented by providing hygienic housing for the livestock, a healthy diet, and grazing in different pastures at different times.

v Effects of organic methods on the groceries

Organic groceries bring the benefits of the organic farming right up to your table. The grains and pulses are healthier and natural. The fruits and vegetables are fresher and have more nutritive value. The level of Omega-3 fatty acids is almost 50% more in organically grown meat and dairy products. To grow crops that are resistant to pests and insects, the conventional methods of cross-breeding and hybridization of crops are used. With these methods, the genetic framework of the crops will change, but itwill change for the better. This will not have any adverse side effects on us as consumers.

v Health benefits for consumers

The natural methods used in growing the produce and keeping it healthy has many health benefits for the consumer as well. Organic foods are a rich source of antioxidants. All the nutrients are retained by the groceries and are not lost due to overuse of chemical-based insect repellents or preservatives.

Eating meat of animals that have grazed on natural grass is a lot healthier for the heart. Studies show that when the animals graze on natural grass, the level of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) increases in the animals. When we consume meat from these animals theCLA is passed on to us. This protects us from heart diseases and cardiac arrest.

v Better response to antibiotics

When we consume non-organic meat, that is meat from animals who have been treated regularly with antibiotics; our body develops a natural resistance to thesedrugs. In an emergency, when we desperately need antibiotics to cure a disease, the medicines will not work because our bodies are resistant. Hence, eating meat that is organically grown will improve our body’s response to antibiotic treatment, when required.

v Organic groceries improve immunity

The use of GMOs in the production of groceries changes the genetic structure of the produce, whether crops, fruits, vegetables, poultry, dairy products, or meat. Scientific studies have proved that when we consume these products over a long period of time, we become more sensitive to allergens. Our immunity goes down and we tend to get respiratory and stomach infections very easily. Whereas, when we consume organic groceries, the products that we eat is GMO-free. Besides, the groceries have retained all their nutrients. So when we eat organic groceries our immunity is higher.

v Less accumulation of heavy metals

The chemical fertilizers used in conventional farming contain a lot of heavy metals and some toxic metals like cadmium. So when we eat these grains, pulses, or green groceries, we consume these metals too. Over a period of time, these toxic metals will cause debilitating health issues like diarrhea, lung damage, skin rashes, reflux, high blood pressure, memory loss, hair loss, fatigue, depression, migraines, etc.Whereas, if you consume organic groceries the level of toxic metals in the body will come down by nearly 50%.

v Disadvantages of organic groceries

There are three factors that sometimes discourage people from buying organic groceries. The first one is that some places may not have convenient markets nearby that sell organic groceries. Traveling long distance just to buy weekly groceries can be a major deterrent. Secondly, organic groceries cost more than the conventionally grown products. Thirdly, organic food is usually grown locally and naturally. So perishables like fruits and vegetables have a lower shelf life.

When you balance the benefits of organic food against the disadvantages, the side of the benefits is definitely tipped heavily. I hope through this post I have answered your question of what is organic grocery. I also hope I have encouraged you to switch from conventional produce to organic groceries. Stay healthy…