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How Eating Organic Foods Impacts the Environment

bugaboo | Nov 16, 2010 |

1 Comments | Rating: 1

Eating organic foods is becoming a popular trend and even though eating organic foods is a healthy choice for your health they are also good for the environment. So much so the production of organic foods is tied to the environment. Although there is not a lot of scientific research there are studies have been conducted to show that organic foods have a positive influence on the environment.

Studies have shown that organically produced foods contain more nutrients than conventional foods. Organic foods contain more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants than foods not organically produced. Not only are the antioxidants good for humans but they are good for the growing plants as well since it helps strengthen its natural defenses.

Chemical fertilizers reduce the nutritional factors in food and in some cases reduce the value of the plant. Some plants may not absorb as much water as they should with added chemicals. There are other reasons why foods lose nutritional value besides chemicals being added to crops such as picking foods prematurely before they are fully ripe, storing harvested foods longer making the nutritional aspects of them to break down before consumption, and additional processing of food.

Growing organic food involves the use rich compost and manure the helps replenish the soil and keeps it healthy. In some cases it can add nutrients to the earth while farmers grow food with different nutritional values to help maintain the life of the soil. Harmful toxics in chemicals actually kill needed organisms to help the soil stay healthy in result producing weak plants unable to fight disease and insects. The same effect happens with animals being injected with hormones and the food they eat has the same exposure.

Farmers and food producers help foods grow naturally in part of the organic food making process which helps foods grow the way they are intended to. Air pollution is reduced significantly because chemicals such as pesticides, insecticides, and fertilizers are not used. Many grocery stores carry organic foods that are local grown so transporting the food items doesn't take as long to reach the stores cutting pollution from trucks and vehicles. It easy to say that eating organic foods help reduce our exposure to harmful toxins and chemicals while improving your health and the environment.