Organic Food – Are they really that safe..????

There are many reasons why someone might choose organic foods over conventional foods, from environmental concerns to taste preferences. Some people make special effort to find which store to purchase organic food from and pay more to purchase these products. In my previous posts, I have highlighted risks related to usage of pesticides. While many of us may feel that one of the ways to eat safer food is to ‘go organic’ – but is it really worth it?

Don’t get me wrong – The intention is not to create fear, but to create awareness. Some advocate organic food because the pesticides used are herbal based or derived from natural ingredients. But one must remember that poison has same effect let it be synthetic or natural. Also, while organic crops use less/herbal pesticides as compared to conventional crops, underground water used for both crops is same, and in most parts of our nation, underground water is contaminated. The farmer has to ensure that the water is treated before it reaches the plants. Further, very few farmers produce organic produce, so if you are purchasing an organic produce, know where it has come from. Specialists have said that organic or not, the chances of bacterial contamination of food are the same. Hence it is important to choose the one that has the least the food mile i.e the distance travelled by any produce from producer to consumer. Just don’t buy any food labelled as organic at higher cost thinking it is more healthy as compare to locally grown conventional produce. Take the same precautions before consuming organic food which you are suppose to take while consuming conventional produce.             Try to buy seasonal fruits and vegetables which are locally grown.             Try to grow some of the vegetables at home using the vacant space.