It is true that organic food and products sometimes cost more than conventional foods. And while we might instinctively feel that they're worth it, is there proof to support the investment?
The answer is a resounding, "Yes!"
In 2000, the Australian Bureau of Statistics noted that Australians spend twice as much of their money on junk and fast food than they do on fruit and vegetables. The following findings, from studies undertaken both here in Australia and overseas, will encourage us to re-think these priorities:
The maturation process of bodily organs and systems make children more susceptible to toxicity from pesticide ingestion.
Australian mothers are transferring pesticides to their babies via their breast milk. These chemicals come from the fruit and vegetables they consume 2.
Significant changes have been noted regarding hyperactivity in children when artificial colours are removed from their diet 3.
Exposure to pesticides may increase parental risk of infertility and threaten pregnancy outcomes 4.
Due to their small size, children receive four times the exposure of an adult to pesticides in food. The food choices you make now will impact your child's health in the future.
Vitamin C content is 27% higher in organic fruit and vegetables 5.
International reviews cite cancer-fighting antioxidant content being higher in organic fruit and vegetables than conventionally cultivated produce 6.
Milk from organically reared cows contains higher levels of key vitamins and nutrients than non-organic milk, including 50% more vitamin E, 75% more beta-carotene, higher levels of omega 3 fatty acids and 2-3 times higher levels of antioxidants 7.
No hydrogenated fats are used in organic food. Also known as 'trans fats', they are artificially created and included in processed foods such as biscuits to make the product more solid and shelf stable. Consumption of trans-fats are directly linked to substantially increased rates of heart disease, skin disease, cancer and increase levels of 'bad' LDL cholesterol.
Many pesticides approved by the Environment Protection Agency of Australia (EPA) were registered before extensive researches on their health effects were established. They now consider that 60% of all herbicides, 90% of fungicides and 30% of insecticides are carcinogenic 9.
Research shows that organic methods could produce enough food on a global per capita basis to sustain the current (and potentially even larger) human population, without increasing the agricultural land base. This is because organic farming methods can yield up to three times as much food as conventional farming.
Soil is the foundation of the food chain in organic farming. However the Soil Conservation Service estimates that more than three million tons of topsoil is eroded from our shores each year (seven times faster than is naturally built up). Conventional farming has a lot to answer for in this regard.
Pesticide residue contaminates the ground water in every state of Australia, polluting the primary source of drinking water for more than half of the population.
Modern farming methods are said to consume 12 per cent of this country's total energy supply, increasing our dependence on fossil fuels. In contrast, organic farming is still mainly based on labour-intensive practises such as weeding by hand.
Organic farming aims to maintain or enhance seed, crop and ecological biodiversity. Conventional farming practises mono-cropping, planting large plots of land with the same crop year after year. This approach has increased farming production to no end, however the lack of natural diversity of plant life leaves the soil lacking in minerals and nutrients. To replace these components, chemical fertilisers are used, often in increasing amounts.
In supporting organics you support a true economy. Conventional food prices do not reflect hidden costs borne by taxpayers, including pesticide regulation and testing, hazardous waste disposal and clean up, damage to the environment and (arguably) costs to the medical system particularly whereby farmers receive illness from direct and over-exposure to agricultural chemicals.
The above extracts only scratch the surface of studies available which indicate how wide-ranging the benefits of organics are. For investigative minds, the attached references will provide more detailed information. Other valuable websites to explore include ORGANIC LTD, Go Organic, and the Organic Trader's and Consumer's Network of Australia.