Discover the Delicious Health Benefits of Organic Food
Ok, I’m addicted to organic foods and am a self proclaimed organic foodie! I guess you could say I’m a big fan of organic everything…especially organic food; I founded a website called ‘Organic Authority,’ afterall!
As I trained to be a professionally trained chef in culinary school, it was the tasty flavor of organic foods that got me hooked on the organic movement (before culinary school, I could have cared less about organic foods and green what!?!). I simply couldn’t believe how much better organic foods tasted when compared to conventional ones!
As a chef-in-training, all I cared about was what produced the best tasting food products. And what I discovered was the critical secret behind high end chefs and five star restaurants: organic food. You can have all the culinary training in the world, but if you start with low quality ingredients, you get a low quality end product.
I also discovered that organic foods are simply more nutritious and a powerful healing tool for the human body. I look at organic food as the most delicious type of preventive medicine available to us!
But don’t just take it from me…other vetted resources agree that organic food is nutrient-rich and fantastic for your health…
Produce Producing Nutrients!
In a study published in March 2008 by The Organic Center,1 scientific evidence settled the lingering question: “Are organic foods really more nutritious?”
The answer is a resounding “Yes!” Consider the following:
- Organic plant-based foods (fruits, vegetables, grains) contain higher levels of eight of 11 nutrients studied, including significantly greater concentrations of health-promoting polyphenols and antioxidants.
- Organically grown plant-based foods are 25% more nutrient dense, on average, than their conventional food counterparts. That means they deliver more essential nutrients per serving or calorie consumed than conventionally-grown foods.
- Nutrients present in organic foods are “in a more biologically active form,” according to Neal Davies, a professor at Washington State University (WSU) and a co-author of the center’s report.
A+ for Organic Farming!
In another recent study entitled “Living Soil, Food Quality, and the Future of Food,”2 presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), several inspiring conclusions were offered about the health benefits of organic farming and its nutritional impact in food:
- Higher levels of fertilizer negatively impact the density of certain nutrients in harvested foodstuffs, which is called the “dilution [of nutrients] effect.” Organic farming can, under some circumstances, delay the onset of the “dilution effect.”
- Compared to typical conventional farms, the nitrogen cycle on organic farms is rooted in substantially more complex biological processes and soil-plant interactions; for this reason, organic farming offers great promise in consistently producing nutrient-enriched foods.
Consider the Healthy Power of Organic Milk, Beef, Lamb & Pork Too!
It’s not just veggie and fruit enthusiasts who reap the rewards of organically-grown chow.
Milk from dairy cows on organic farms, particularly pasture-based operations, contains significantly higher CLA levels. CLA reduces the propensity to store fat (especially abdominal fat), inhibits tumor development, promotes sensitivity to insulin in cells, increases immune response against viral antigens, and modulates inflammatory processes. CLA may even delay or slow the onset of Type II diabetes! CLA levels in organic milk are often found to be 30% or higher than in conventional milk.
Canadian researchers have shown that beef raised on pasture and/or fed soybean, safflower, or sunflower oil-based supplements produces meat with significantly higher concentration of CLA.3
And don’t forget, animals that are pasture-raised from birth to market are the way to go. Note that many ‘organic’ meats are actually finished on grains, which decreases its nutritional value! So make sure you ask your butcher questions before you buy. Biologically, animals are meant to eat grass – not grains.
Taste the difference yourself by trying my Organic Beef Stew a la Bourguignon! Because you don’t have to decrease flavor to eat healthier – in fact, it’s just the opposite! So revise your shopping list to include as much organic food as possible – you can even buy organic foods on a budget – and commit to a healthier, happier you. Your taste buds will thank you too!
Clearly, organic food equals healthier food. It’s that simple – and that tasty too!
Get more tips and tricks about organic foods and green living at OrganicAuthority.com and sign up for the FREE newsletter. And find step-by-step, personalized guidance on creating a healthy, green home at www.LauraKleinGreenClub.com!
1. The Organic Center, March, 2008 Report: http://www.organic-center.org/science.latest.php?action=view&report_id=126
2. The Organic Center, March 13, 2009 Press Release: http://www.organic-center.org/news.pr.php?action=detail&pressrelease_id=28
3. The Organic Center: Health Benefits of Conjugated Linoleic Acid: http://www.organic-center.org/science.hot.php?action=view&report_id=18
Also, check out this informative blog entitled No Nutritional Difference Between Conventional and Organic Foods? The Organic Center to the Rescue!
