Know Your Food Source and How It Is Grown!

Why organic?

One of the most comprehensive and definitive studies of its kind has demonstrated that organically grown kiwi fruit contain more health-promoting factors than conventionally grown fruit.

The study achieved high precision by comparing kiwis grown next to each other on the same farm, at the same time, under the same environmental conditions. It was also the first study to examine phenolic compounds, the healthy compounds found in red wine and colored berries.

The organically grown kiwi fruit had increased levels of polyphenols, higher antioxidant activity, and higher levels of vitamin C and important minerals. The scientists conducting the study attributed the differences to the organic fruits surviving against pests in the absence of pesticides. Higher antioxidant activity, for example, is thought to be a natural reaction to stress.

Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture March 27, 2007

EurekAlert March 25, 2007 

Dr. Mercola’s Comment:

I’ve written a great deal about the value of organic whole foods to your health versus conventionally grown foods, but some of you may still not be convinced there’s any real difference.

Well you simply cannot use that excuse anymore. Organically grown foods have now been definitively shown to contain more nutrients and healthy compounds.

I know this is not rocket science and there has been previous research supporting this, but on average, conventional produce has only 83 percent of the nutrients of organic produce. Previous studies have found significantly higher levels of nutrients such as vitamin C, iron, magnesium and phosphorus and significantly less nitrates (a toxin) in organic crops.

More importantly, conventionally grown food is often tainted with chemical residues and is genetically modified. Both of these can be harmful to you. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers 60 percent of herbicides, 90 percent of fungicides and 30 percent of insecticides to be carcinogenic.

Pesticides can have many negative influences on your health, including neurotoxicity, disruption of your endocrine system, carcinogenicity and immune system suppression. Pesticide exposure may also affect male reproductive function and has been linked to miscarriages in women. 

What is Organic?

Organic is an agricultural method. It is based on agricultural management practices that:

• Create ecosystems capable of ensuring sustained productivity
• Control weeds and pests through a diversity of interdependent forms of life
• Recycle plant and animal wastes
• Use crop selection and rotation
• Manage water

With this method:

• Soil fertility is maintained and improved by a system that maximizes soil activity
• plants and animals are provided with essential nutrients
• Soil resources are conserved.
• Insects and diseases are controlled by:

Ø  encouraging a balanced host ­predator relationship

Ø  increasing beneficial insect populations

Ø  using biological and crop controls 

Ø  mechanical elimination of pests or damaged plant parts.

For Crops:

• No chemical pesticides, nor weed killers

Ø  instead use mechanical or biological techniques and organic methods

• Neo synthetic fertilizer, nor sewage sludge

Ø  instead reinforce the soil by using proven agriculture methods

• No Seed originating from GMOs (genetically modified organisms)

Ø  instead use only original seeds