In regards to health living, I once heard somebody use the phrase "eat lower in the food chain." All that this means is to eat more plants-vegetables and fruits, whole grains, beans, and nuts. The timeless advice of Michael Pollan is in keeping with this: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." We are omnivores with a lean towards herbivorism: plant matter, ie fruits and vegetables, is full of the vitamins, minerals and nutrients we need to be healthy, with a much lesser need for the high fat and protein content found in meats and dairy.
Eating a predominance of fruits and veggies in your diet is one of the best ways to boost overall health, increase energy levels and (best of all) lose weight. When your diet is right, your body naturally balances itself and sheds unnecessary fat stores. And if you're going to make the choice to live healthier, than don't just switch to produce: switch to /organic/ produce, which is the healthiest option we have available to us. Devoid of chemicals and pesticides and raised in accordance with sustainable farming practices, organics offer benefit on just about every level.
And while it's great to know you're supporting any organic farmer, take it one step further and support your local agriculture ; the benefits are twofold: you feel great because you're eating natural food, and also because you're doing your part to help out local business. Here a couple quick ways to get started on your transition to local, organic produce.
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
CSA allows local farmers to offer up "shares" of their crop, which are sold for something like a membership subscription. You buy a share for a set price and each week the farmer will provide you with a box whichever crops happen to be in season at the time. You get fresh, natural, local food and a great seasonal variety, instead of the pesticide-soaked, genetically modified and artificially ripened fruits and vegetables from other countries that are available year-round. Keep in mind though that all shares are purchased up front. If the farm fails to produce a certain crop or suffers a bad season, you're out just like the farmer is.
Farmers Markets
With often unbeatable pricing and freshness, the farmer's market is a great alternative to people who'd rather avoid the inherent "risk" of CSAs or perhaps have greater control over the selection of produce that they receive.
Join a Cooperative (Co-op)
A food co-op operates in much the same way as the CSA, except you purchase a membership to a grocery store which deals in produce and goods from local farmers, as opposed to buying from the farmers directly. Members of a co-op are involved in the running of the business and its decision making process, electing representatives democratically and using a completely transparent management process.
Organic Grocery Chains
Believe it or not, there are emerging chains of natural, healthy organic food stores out there that aren't completely commercialized. I recently took a look around a local Earth Fare supermarket and was pleasantly surprised to read a plaque in the produce section informing me that 65% of the produce available the year prior was purchased from local farmers, /within 1 to 2 miles/. This particular store combines the convenience of a large supermarket with the benefits of organic food and the ability to support local agriculture, something I'm definitely not opposed to. Check around your local area for similar establishments to shop at.
All in all, there are plenty of organic sources available to the average consumer. Making the choice to eat natural, organic, plant-based diets has always been known to help out in a variety of environmental ways. Now more than ever, if you play your cards right you can end up getting the best deals possible and in the process be actively involved in supporting your local businesses and community.
This article is part of the ongoing series entitled "Make a Difference" which discusses a variety of small, easy changes you can apply to your life for personal, environmental and global betterment. Act now, and make a difference.
Wunna is a veteran generator of net-based content and an adept scribe, and at this point in time discusses ideas to include how to make a compost bin and vermiculture bins.
Showing posts with label produce. Show all posts
Showing posts with label produce. Show all posts
Friday, June 17, 2011
Being Aware Of What Makes Goods "Organic" and Why You Ought be Acquiring It
As consumers are becoming more environmentally aware the trend for all natural, environmentally friendly and sustainable products is definitely on the rise. One of the biggest ones relates to something that is intimately close to all of our lives, and that is the food that we eat. I've been aware of organic produce, meats and packaged goods for a long time now, and yet never really /considered/ them before. They always existed in the back of my mind as something that somebody /else/ would buy, kind of like "the expensive version of regular food."
As I've taken steps to embrace natural, healthy living and made changes in my overall lifestyle I've reached the point where it's time to think about organics and why buying them is the right thing to do overall.
What Does Organic Mean?
Before I researched it, I didn't really know what organic actually /meant./ Everything's organic, right? It's kind of a perquisite to being an "organism" or life form. Not so. Turns out when it comes to our food the word is much more specific. Beginning back in 1960 with the publication of "Silent Spring" a movement began towards the practice of growing foods naturally, without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides, and also using sustainable energy practices (ie, not gasoline and other limited fossil fuels.) This went on until 1990 when the government stepped in, passing the Organic Foods Production Act to set some standard by which anything labeled as "organic" has to abide. This way, people could get a basic idea of what they were buying when they purchased organic foods.
While there are actually several different classifications of organic foods, the general term has come to have several typical associations. As I mentioned before, no pesticides, herbicides or chemicals are used in any part of the growing process. In addition to being chemical-free, organic produce must be grown in a way that is natural and sustainable. This means harkening back to the growing practices of old, such as crop rotation and cover crops to ensure the fertility of fields, with an overall mentality of care and consideration towards the earth and quality of the food being grown. If natural manure is used as a form of fertilizer it must be applied at least four months prior to harvesting if it is not aged. Using composted plant material is common.
Additionally, organic farmers do not grow or use any kind of genetically modified organism, such as the Round Up resistant strain of soybean developed by Monsanto. Organic livestock farmers must also feed their animals exclusively organic feed for the duration of their life, though it is interesting to note that the organic certification does not include the manner in which the animals are raised. Livestock can still be raised inhumanely using feedlots or other animal confinement techniques, and still be considered organic.
The USDA utilizes several different labels for organic foods - the three main ones being "100% Organic", "Organic" and "Made With Organic Ingredients." The first is of course exactly what it sounds like: everything in the product was completely organic as defined above; the second, simple "Organic" means the product contains 95 - 99% organic ingredients, with the remaining ingredients being approved by the NOP. Food "Made With Organic Ingredients" uses anywhere from 70 - 94% organic ingredients, and may list three on the front packaging. So in general, look for and buy 100% Organic whenever you can, opting for plain Organic labels when nothing else is available.
Buying organic supports a natural food industry, which cares more about the quality of the food that they produce and the overall health of their customers than they do about turning an ever-increasing profit at our expense. While it may cost a little more up front, it is an infinitely greater savings overall when you consider your overall health and well being, and the health of the planet as well.
This article is part of an ongoing series entitled "Transitioning to Organic" that provides tips, information and easy ways to adopt some or all organic food into your lifestyle.
Wunna is a veteran producer of net-based information and an adept reporter, and at this point in time writes about subjects like red worms for sale and worms for composting.
As I've taken steps to embrace natural, healthy living and made changes in my overall lifestyle I've reached the point where it's time to think about organics and why buying them is the right thing to do overall.
What Does Organic Mean?
Before I researched it, I didn't really know what organic actually /meant./ Everything's organic, right? It's kind of a perquisite to being an "organism" or life form. Not so. Turns out when it comes to our food the word is much more specific. Beginning back in 1960 with the publication of "Silent Spring" a movement began towards the practice of growing foods naturally, without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides, and also using sustainable energy practices (ie, not gasoline and other limited fossil fuels.) This went on until 1990 when the government stepped in, passing the Organic Foods Production Act to set some standard by which anything labeled as "organic" has to abide. This way, people could get a basic idea of what they were buying when they purchased organic foods.
While there are actually several different classifications of organic foods, the general term has come to have several typical associations. As I mentioned before, no pesticides, herbicides or chemicals are used in any part of the growing process. In addition to being chemical-free, organic produce must be grown in a way that is natural and sustainable. This means harkening back to the growing practices of old, such as crop rotation and cover crops to ensure the fertility of fields, with an overall mentality of care and consideration towards the earth and quality of the food being grown. If natural manure is used as a form of fertilizer it must be applied at least four months prior to harvesting if it is not aged. Using composted plant material is common.
Additionally, organic farmers do not grow or use any kind of genetically modified organism, such as the Round Up resistant strain of soybean developed by Monsanto. Organic livestock farmers must also feed their animals exclusively organic feed for the duration of their life, though it is interesting to note that the organic certification does not include the manner in which the animals are raised. Livestock can still be raised inhumanely using feedlots or other animal confinement techniques, and still be considered organic.
The USDA utilizes several different labels for organic foods - the three main ones being "100% Organic", "Organic" and "Made With Organic Ingredients." The first is of course exactly what it sounds like: everything in the product was completely organic as defined above; the second, simple "Organic" means the product contains 95 - 99% organic ingredients, with the remaining ingredients being approved by the NOP. Food "Made With Organic Ingredients" uses anywhere from 70 - 94% organic ingredients, and may list three on the front packaging. So in general, look for and buy 100% Organic whenever you can, opting for plain Organic labels when nothing else is available.
Buying organic supports a natural food industry, which cares more about the quality of the food that they produce and the overall health of their customers than they do about turning an ever-increasing profit at our expense. While it may cost a little more up front, it is an infinitely greater savings overall when you consider your overall health and well being, and the health of the planet as well.
This article is part of an ongoing series entitled "Transitioning to Organic" that provides tips, information and easy ways to adopt some or all organic food into your lifestyle.
Wunna is a veteran producer of net-based information and an adept reporter, and at this point in time writes about subjects like red worms for sale and worms for composting.
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