In a world of mixed attitudes and awakening, people are increasingly embracing healthier ways of life -- be it in physical activity, spiritual pursuits or eating healthy. With several researches going on the impact of mass production of food using pesticides, insecticides or fertilizers, it has been proved that most of the food being mass produced today contains high quantities of these chemicals used to boost the crop output. Research has shown that conventional crops contain almost more than four times the level of pesticides generally permitted as safe for human body. These chemicals are extremely harmful to the human body and are amongst one of the main reasons of the rise in the incidences of cancer and other deadly disorders amongst the new human generations. In this wake, several people have realised and understood the benefits of adopting an organic way of life.
As the article presented within the course clearly establishes, the past few years have seen an exponential rise in the number of stores selling organic lifestyle products -- starting from organic food items to organic cloth, organic toys, organic colours etc. For those uninitiated, let us elucidate on what really makes products organic and how they differ from the conventional products. According to a report published in The Guardian, "Organic food has more of the antioxidant compounds linked to better health than regular food, and lower levels of toxic metals and pesticides" (Carrington & Arnet). According to the statistics presented within this report, organic food products contain higher quantity of anti-oxidants -- about 20% to 70% more than in normal food products. Consuming this much amount of increased antioxidants is equivalent to adding almost two more portions of fruits to your daily diet. Several researches have been conducted on the benefit of an organic diet on human body and it has been found that consuming organic food does indeed reduce the risk of "chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases and certain cancers" (Carrington & Arnet). The point to consider here is that while the moot nutritional value of the organic food remains the same as the nutritional value of conventionally grown food, the difference lies in the amounts of pesticide residue that makes its way into the human bodies.
Another benefit that adopting organic food items present is that of soil degradation and pollution in the rivers. By way of using excessive pesticides and chemical fertilizers in farming, the quality of the soil degenerates over time, even as by way of water seepage into the earth, the water cycle also gets polluted with these harmful chemicals. When organic ways of farming are adopted, the issues of soil degeneration and polluting rivers are addressed, thereby enhancing the overall benefits of going organic.
While all nutritionists and health activists are gaga over the health benefits of organic food and products, one must not neglect to explore other factors surrounding the use of organic products. It is generally seen that organic food items cost more than the conventional food items. While there is no denying the fact that more and more people are buying organic food, one also must realise that, at times, when economy of the world is not stable, going the organic way will prove to be a costly affair. According to Huffington Post, "The most comprehensive study of its kind indicates that yes, unhealthy food is about $1.50 cheaper per day, or about $550 per year, than healthy food" (Polis). While this cost sounds too huge initially, long-term impact of this cost can only be comprehended when the economic cost of diet-related disorders is compared. According to a report published by McKinsey, "The total economic impact of obesity is about $2 trillion a year, or 2.8% of world GDP" (Dobbs & Swinburn). Add to this the cost of fighting chronic disorders. According to a report by CDC, almost 75% of the total health budget allotted by the US government is spent in treating the chronic illnesses. Thus, all over the world, the cost being paid for bad nutrition is humungous and paying a little more in daily life for organic food would prove to be rewarding in the long run.
Works Cited
Carrington, Damian, and George Arnett. "Clear differences between organic and non-organic food, study finds." The Guardian. 11 July 2014. Web. 7 Jun 2016.
Dobbs, Richard, and Boyd Swinburn. "The Global Obesity Threat." McKinsey & Company. 2 Apr 2015. Web. 7 Jun 2016.
Polis, Carey. "Eating Healthy vs. Unhealthy Will Cost You $550 More Per Year, Study Reveals." The Huffington Post. 23 Jan 2014. Web. 7 Jun 2016.
