Organic foods and products are all those that are grown, raised and processed naturally, that is, without the use of chemicals, fertilizers, additives or preservatives at any stage of manufacture.
However, as with many other things, not all that is said about organic is completely true, although it certainly represents a healthy and environmentally friendly alternative for consumption.
If you are concerned about giving your family the best, that they eat and consume products that do not harm the environment and that, in addition, have that unbeatable taste of nature, you have come to the right post to discover the 5 truths (and 5 myths) most widespread about organic products. Do you want to discover them?
5 truths and myths about organic products
They are healthy
The reality: undoubtedly, food grown without additives, artificial pesticides or industrial chemicals is more natural than others that do not meet these characteristics. According to several recently published studies, such as the one that appeared a few months ago in the British Journal of Nutrition, organic foods not only have lower amounts of pesticide residues but can also be up to 70 percent richer in antioxidants than non-organic foods.
The myth: “Because they are not treated with chemicals, organic foods pose greater health risks and are also of lower quality.
Just because they contain no toxic residues, are made naturally and without additives or pesticides, does not mean that organic food and products are produced without following quality standards or that they are not regulated.
A body that issues a seal that identifies organic agricultural products and is always accompanied by a second seal from the certifying body of the country of origin.
They are not genetically modified
The reality: organic products cannot be genetically modified. The genetic modification of food through industrial and artificial processes can cause serious damage to the environment, also affecting people’s health.
The myth: “Organic products are also genetically ‘modified’, because any organism is subject to evolution”.
Indeed, that foods (and all products) called organic are not genetically modified is relatively true since, like all organisms and species, their genetic structure also undergoes changes over time, although in this case it is natural.
In other words, their modification responds to evolutionary and survival needs and is not motivated by commercial or human interests of any kind: it is an extremely slow and completely natural modification, as it has been since the beginning of life on the planet and its temporal cycles.
Do not contain antibiotics
The reality: especially the products of animal origin, do not contain residues of antibiotics or other drugs that are usually provided to livestock to increase their productivity and make them more resistant to aging and wear.
Organic livestock are not treated with antibiotics, but that does not mean they are medically neglected. Veterinary care is carried out with the utmost respect and care for the natural healing processes. It uses products that are harmless to both animal welfare and human consumption. The regulations governing organic farming specify, among other things, which treatments and medicines may be used, and which (such as antibiotics) are completely prohibited.
Are environmentally friendly
The reality: by not using chemical products, organic agriculture and livestock farming (where organic products come from) does not pollute the environment with artificial products and therefore favors their conservation.
The myth: “Not all natural fertilizers and pesticides are harmless to the environment: slurry (organic, vegetable or animal waste) is a good example”.
For example, is one of the main sources of water pollution in rural areas, but this only means that what is natural, handled and used in inconvenient ways, can also be harmful to the environment. Or is plutonium or uranium from nuclear power plants not “natural”? Organic products not only guarantee the use of natural methods and products in their elaboration, but also a rational and sustainable use of them.
They are tastier
The reality: organic foods have a unique and genuine flavor, which is incomparable to other foods of industrial origin, which are treated with additives and preservatives that can change the flavor.
The myth: “Organic food is worse preserved”. An organic product preserves what should be preserved according to its natural properties; no more and no less.
If we subject them to traditional conservation processes (smoking, drying, among others), they do not have to last less than non-organic ones. Although they may sometimes be a little more expensive than conventional ones, organic products provide many more benefits than it costs to acquire them.
As you can see, there are many myths about organic food and products. It is important that you access the correct information so that you can be aware of their benefits and bring them to your table in healthy dishes and recipes. At the same time, do not forget that by doing so you will be contributing to the conservation of the planet.