The text discusses the growing popularity of organic food, despite its higher prices, and how it has evolved from an alternative to a moral and social responsibility. Organic food is often perceived as healthier, more natural, and more ethical. However, the term "organic" is not globally defined, and different regions have different definitions and rules.
Organic food is generally farmed without genetically modified organisms (GMOs), synthetic fertilizers, or synthetic pesticides. Organic farmers use traditional methods like crop rotation and organic fertilizers like compost or manure. The motivation to buy organic
1. Organic food has spread significantly over the last few years, despite higher prices. It is turning from an alternative into a moral and social responsibility.
2. Organic food is supposedly healthier, more natural, and more ethical. However, there's no global consensus on what we mean when we say "organic". Different regions have different definitions and rules.
3. In general, organic food is farmed without GMO seeds, synthetic fertilizers, or synthetic pesticides. Organic farmers use more traditional ways of producing food like crop rotation and use organic fertilizers such as compost or manure.
4. The motivation to buy organic food is noble, but it's unclear if it's effective or just another costly trend.
5. One idea associated with organic crops is that their natural cultivation is supposed to make them more nutritious and healthier. Several studies found that organic foods contain more antioxidants.
6. Antioxidants are believed to have some health benefits, although scientists are still on the fence about them in general.
7. The evidence is mixed on whether organic food is more nutritious. Some studies found that organic food can have slightly higher concentrations of vitamin C and omega-3 fatty acids, while others did not find significant differences.
8. Eating fruit and veggies in general is good for you, and most of us don't do that enough. Eating veggies is more important for your health than how they were produced.
9. People don't only buy organic to get extra vitamins but to avoid something toxic: artificial pesticides and fertilizers. Several studies show that there is actually less pesticide residue on organic produce.
10. Less pesticide does not mean none at all. While pesticides are supposed to be a last resort in organic farming, they're not forbidden. Most organic pesticides are natural toxins like vegetable oils, hot ash, soap, sulfur, or copper sulfates.
11. Organic pesticides are not necessarily safer than conventional ones. Toxic is toxic, no matter if the substance is manufactured or derived from nature.
12. A 2018 study from France associated never eating organic food with a higher risk of certain cancers. The study was criticized a lot though, as the participants reported their dietary habits themselves while no actual tests of pesticide levels in their bodies were done.
13. A Danish study from 2018 found that the danger from pesticides for an adult was similar to drinking a glass of wine every three months.
14. Despite this, we should continue to demand strict standards for our food. All pesticides are regulated and tested very strictly in the EU and the US.
15. A 2017 meta-analysis looked at organic farming in detail and analyzed organic and regular foods from over 700 production sources and their impact on categories like greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, and land needs. The result: no production method is clearly better for the environment.
16. Organic systems use less energy than conventional ones but have similar greenhouse gas emissions. Organic farms use less pesticide but need much more land to produce the same amount of crop.
17. These mixed results were also confirmed by a report from the Swedish Food Agency. Organic and regular were equal in most regards. The biggest difference was land use and here conventional farming clearly won.
18. The bottom line is organic food isn't superior to regular