Which Is Better: Organic or Non-Organic Food

We’re used to the fact that organic food is more expensive and better than the food we buy in supermarkets. The labels that say “natural,” “organic,” “farm-grown,” and others always attract additional attention. But, in fact, these terms actually mean different things.

5-Minute Crafts is reviewing the myths about organic foods and making unexpected conclusions.

Natural food

The term “natural food” means that a product was made by nature, not a person in a lab. But natural foods can also have chemicals on them or hormones in them.

Sustainable food

The term “sustainable” confuses people and makes them buy things. In fact, such labels are nothing more than a marketing move. The term “sustainable” can be applied to a city district or a process of food manufacturing, but it can’t be used in the description of the food itself.

Farm-grown

When we say “farm-grown,” we often mean that it was made on a farm and it has a very high quality. But, in fact, such a description doesn’t always guarantee that certain chemicals weren’t used during the production. In fact, farmers often use all sorts of chemicals to decrease their own financial risks. So farmers give growth hormones and antibiotics to animals and use preservatives for fruits and vegetables.

Organic

The term “organic” has legal power. In order to use this term in the description, the manufacturer must have a series of certificates. And under the label “organic,” there should be a special code a customer can use to check if the product is authentic. Only if the product is organic will the customer will pay more for it without any risks.

Is organic food really better than non-organic?

In 2012, scientists at Stanford University researched the differences in the contents of organic and non-organic foods. The conclusions they came to were quite unexpected.

Scientists made an analysis of prior studies, most of which compared the fungal, bacterial, and pesticide contents of organic and ordinary foods. After a thorough review, the scientists found out that the level of pesticides in regular foods was a bit higher but still normal. The results in bacterial and nutritional value were mixed. Organic foods had more phosphorus but the difference wasn’t clinically significant.

Why organic foods cost more than ordinary ones

It’s not about how healthy food is but about how it was produced. The manufacturers of organic foods have to hire way more employees to produce enough. The fertilizers for organic foods cost more. Also, in order to get all the necessary certificates, the manufacturer should comply with a series of requirements. For example, the treatment conditions of animals have to be better than regular manufacturers. It’s not cheap to do this.