For you
You are what you eat –
ALL fruits, vegetables and seeds are superfoods, potent powerhouses of energy and nutrition. But this very source of health is being eroded by the indiscriminate use of toxic pesticides and synthetic fertilizers in conventional farming.
Tests conducted by the government and independent agencies reveal that BANNED pesticides like Chlordane, Heptachlor, DDT, Endosulfan and Monocrotophos found as residue in our food have been linked to variety of health problems.
Pesticides and their effect on health | |
Pesticides | Toxic impact |
Chlorpyriphos | Nerve damage |
Endosulfan-T | DNA mutation, hormone disorders, |
Heptachlor | Nervous system and liver damage |
Quinalphos | Developmental, reproductive, |
Aldrin | Cancer, infertility |
Clofenvinfos | Developmental, reproductive, |
Chlordane | Affects nervous system, lungs, |
DDT | Cancer, hormone disorders, |
Choose ORGANIC
Choosing organic or naturally farmed produce is one of the ways you can ensure you are eating safe, non-genetically modified, nutrient-rich and toxic free food.
Natural food is free from the potent cocktail of fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides and other chemicals that go into growing conventional produce. Even the chemical methods of cleaning, processing and preservation are not used post harvest, thus making organic food safer and also nutritious.
This apart there are more reasons for worldwide demand of organic foods. For many it tastes better as the Brix value is far greater to conventional farming. Farmers use indigenous seed varieties, and organic food is grown in traditionally suitable geographical areas, delivering the true taste of the product.
Effect on kids and infants
Any substance consumed or exposed to turn toxic based on two factors, the dosage and the mass of the person who is being exposed to such substance. This is true for any substance.
When this fact is brought in relevance to the toxic residues found in fruits, vegetables, grains and process foods, surely kids and infants are the most and intensely effected when compared to an adult consuming the same food.
An average child is exposed to carcinogenic pesticides in food more than four times the level as compared to an adult’s tolerance limits.
Choosing chemical free organic food is recommended to prevent toxic exposure to kids and infants including nursing mothers.
Organic food is free of any artificial additives
Organic food contains no toxins, artificial or preservatives which are said to be responsible for heart diseases, osteoporosis, migraines and in some cases cancer. Use of antibiotics, anti-microbial, hormones and other growth promoters are strictly prohibited in organic production.
Similarly use of synthetic chemicals as preservatives and coloring agents are prohibited in the processing of organic foods.
Chemical residues are either non-existent or are at non-toxic levels in organically produced foodStudies have shown that most conventionally farmed foods have pesticide and other chemical residues. In excess of 400 chemicals are routinely used in conventional farming and research indicates that 60% of herbicides, 30% of insecticides and 90% of fungicides are known to cause cancer. These chemicals can also lead to nervous and endocrinal problems and act as hormonal disrupters Organic growers do not use toxic and artificial chemicals so you can have the assurance that your food is toxic chemical free.
Organic food has lower nitrate levels
Nitrates are carcinogenic. Conventionally farmed food uses soluble chemical fertilizers and this has resulted in high nitrate concentration in food, especially fruits and vegetables. The leaching of these fertilizers has also resulted in increasing nitrate contamination of drinking water systems across the world. Not only are these nitrates carcinogenic, they have even been known to impair the blood’s ability to carry oxygen. The nitrate content of organically grown food is significantly lower than in conventionally grown produce as uses soluble chemical fertilizers are not used.
Natural food is not irradiated
Many food products, especially those that are to be sent long distance, are irradiated to kill microbes. Irradiation is believed to cause changes even at the molecular level. Organic foods are not permitted to be irradiated and are completely natural.
Natural food has higher levels of nutrients
When compared to conventional food, organic food is far superior in vitamin, mineral and nutrient content.
For the ecology and future
A key component of organic farming is sustainability over the long term. Many changes observed in the environment are long term, occurring slowly over time. Typically these changes can be tracked by observing the bio-diversity of an area. For example, the bee population in an area is one such indicator used by environmentalist.
Natural agriculture considers the medium- and long-term effect of agricultural practices on the agro-ecosystem. It aims to produce food while establishing an ecological balance to conserve soil fertility and prevent pest problems.
Pesticides don’t stay where they’re applied. They drift from their intended target and are carried in our air, oceans, rivers, groundwater, rain water and soil. They contaminate ecosystems and can poison fish, birds and wildlife.
Water supplies around the world contain measurable amounts of pesticides, including atrazine. Atrazine, a suspected endocrine disruptor recently banned in Europe3, is the most commonly used herbicide in the U.S.
Besides heavy use in industrial farming, pesticides are used in or near playing fields, parks, schools, public gardens, golf courses, grocery stores, offices, apartment buildings, hotels and resorts, airplanes, cruise ships — the list goes on. Rural communities are routinely contaminated by pesticide drift, while city dwellers may trace pesticide residues on their shoes to public parks and even their apartment’s common areas.
- Atrazine – Groundwater Contamination
- Atrazine – Hormone system alteration in mammals & fish
- Atrazine – “Chemical castration” of frogs
- Pesticide Drift
- Vanishing bees
- Endangered Species
Soil. Soil building practices such as crop rotations, inter-cropping, symbiotic associations, cover crops, organic fertilizers and minimum tillage are fundamental to organic farming. These encourage soil flora and fauna, improve soil formation and structure and creating more stable eco systems.
Water. In many agriculture areas, pollution of groundwater courses due to leeching of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides is a major problem. As the use of these is prohibited in organic agriculture, they are replaced by organic fertilizers (e.g. compost, animal manure, green manure etc.) and through the use of greater biodiversity (in terms of species cultivated and permanent vegetation), enhancing soil structure and water infiltration.
Biodiversity. Natural famers are both guardians and users of biodiversity at all the levels. Traditional and acclimatized seeds and breeds are preferred for their greater resistance to diseases and their resilience to climatic vagaries. Diverse symbiotic combinations of plants and animals optimize nutrient and energy cycling for agricultural production. At the ecosystem level, the maintenance of natural areas within and around organic fields and absence of chemical inputs create favorable habitats for wildlife. A number of studies on organic farming and biodiversity concluded that organic farming produces more biodiversity than other farming systems.
Genetically modified organisms. The use of GMOs within organic systems is not permitted during any stage of organic farming, processing or handling. As the potential impact of GMOs to both the health and environment is not still entirely understood, organic agriculture is taking the precautionary approach and choosing to encourage natural biodiversity. The organic label therefore provides an assurance that GMOs have not been used intentionally in the production and processing of the organic products.
Ecological sustainable services. The impact of organic farming on natural resources favors interactions within the agro-ecosystem that are important for both agricultural production and nature conservation. Ecological services derived include soil forming and conditioning, soil stabilization, waste recycling by composting, carbon sequestration, nutrients cycling, predation, pollination and habitats.
By choosing natural products, you through your purchasing power promote a less polluting agricultural system. The hidden costs of agriculture to the environment in terms of natural resource degradation will be greatly reduced if organic farming is taken up in a large scale.