We never really know what we’re eating. The free range chicken you thoughtfully bought from the supermarket may be pumped full of salted and sugared water, while the fresh broccoli that looked so good for you will probably contain several chemicals that you would never consider eating if they were placed, labelled, in front of you in a liquid form. Chemicals and additives are used in our food to preserve, enhance appearance, repel pests or give food properties that it would not naturally. Although some of these ingredients can be found on the product’s packaging it is legal for producers and manufacturers to make some additions without disclosing them to the consumer.
While the most pure way to avoid consuming these hidden chemicals is to produce and eat your own food, the more practical alternative is to eat organic food. Organic food is grown without the use of chemicals on land that has been certified chemical free for a defined period. Organic livestock are reared on an organic diet and organic land and may not be given conventional medication or treatments for illness, avoiding the introduction of chemicals to the animal and the meat. Compared to conventional food, organic food tends to have a better taste due to the absence of chemicals and the fact that the growth has not been accelerated through intensive farming methods. Food products will also be stored for shorter periods as preservatives are not added, so the food is truly fresher.
While the nutritional benefits of organic food are fairly clear (although sometimes disputed) the downside is the cost. As yield tends to be at least 20% lower than conventional farming and natural pest control more expensive it is inevitable that organic food costs more to purchase. Typically the price of organic food will be between 10% - 40% higher than the conventional alternative, making it all but unobtainable to those living on a budget. For those who can afford to spend a little more, the advantage of knowing the origin and contents of the food that they consume is more than worth the added cost.
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