What Are Organic Foods?

Organic food is everywhere, but what are organic foods? They are produced without artificial fertilizers, synthetic pesticides, or irradiation (a form of radiation used to kill bacteria). Avoiding these toxins assure the health and safety of the consumer as well as the land it's grown on. Organic farming is designed to encourage soil and water conservation by using methods like crop rotation and natural mulch for weed control. The benefits outweigh the cons of organic foods but let's explore both.

Organic Food Advantages

There are many organic food advantages, but the most prominent is the absence of harmful chemicals. Traditional produce is grown using chemical weed killers, insecticides, and herbicides. These products are essentially poisonous but it's allowed because only a trace of it enters your body.

Organic food does not contain any harmful chemicals.


Still wondering, "What are organic foods"? Organic food also contains more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants than non-organic foods. Natural fertilizers contain higher concentrations of nutrients that get absorbed by the plant. Artificial fertilizers promote growth, but neglect the healthful building blocks that only comes from rich soil.

Dairy products carry more health concerns in the form of antibiotics and growth hormones given to cows for increased production. Organic milk and cheese are free from these harmful ingredients that can cause serious health problems.

Experts and physicians agree that the antibiotics used to treat the cattle is crippling our health by enabling bacteria to develop a resistance to antibiotics, making them less effective in fighting infections in humans. Now that you know what are organic foods, what are the cons of organic foods?

Cons Of Organic Foods

There are few cons of organic foods, but the main reason people decide against organic shopping is the price. Organic farming typically yields less produce than traditional farming. The produce is usually smaller and less attractive because it has not been genetically engineered to "look" better. Organic food may also spoil faster because it's not sprayed with wax to preserve it's looks.

These cons of organic foods are supeficial compared with the benefits, but it's popularity is on the rise. With all of the available choices, and a limited budget, how do you know what foods to buy organic?

Foods To Buy Organic

Organic foods are now available at the local supermarket, but buying local is wiser. Chances are that you have a local farmers market near by that offers more. Local food is fresher and it tastes better because it's harvested hours before you buy it. Support your local farmers by researching the local markets. A great website to locate local venders is LocalHarvest.com . Now that you know where to shop, let's talk about the foods to buy organic.

Dirty Dozen

EWG (Environmental Working Group) has compiled a list of fruits and vegetables that are highly recommended to buy organic because they contain high amounts of pesticides. They are referred to as the "Dirty Dozen". Traditional farming requires large amounts of pesticides to produce adequate crops of the following produce.

If you're going to start buying organic, these are the most important foods to buy organic



  • Peaches
  • Apples
  • Sweet Bell Peppers
  • Celery
  • Nectarines
  • Strawberries
  • Cherries
  • Lettuce
  • Grapes
  • Pears
  • Spinach
  • Potatoes

    Natural is always better. There is no way to know for sure if small amounts of poisonous chemicals are harmful over a lifetime. I'd rather pay an extra couple dollars for locally grown organic produce if it means keeping my family healthy. The cons of organic foods are minimal compared to the organic food advantages. I hope I have answered your question: "What are organic foods". See some other helpful resources below.

    Online Organic Foods

    There are organic, all natural websites offering everything from nuts and berries to pet supplies all made from natural ingredients.

    shopOrganic - For The Greater Goods Shop Organic has an abundance of organic products. Click on the picture and pick "organic gourmet" on their home page to see a dizzying assortment of organic products. They make great gifts too.


    NavitasNaturals.com - Goji, Acai, Cacao, Maca... Superfoods!

    Additional Resources

    Mom-Going-Organic-Sensibly.com - Sensible nutrition solutions for the real world. A common sense approach, you could say. Organic food can make a difference in health, yours and your family's. I will be your Sensible Mom Organic Advisor.

    Natural Organic Farming -Information on organic farming and its nutritional value.

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