Organic
(or-gan-ik)
-Adjective
1. Nothing or pertaining to a class of chemical compounds that formerly comprised only those existing in or derived from plants or animals, but that now includes all other compounds of carbon.
The Organic/Raw food era is taking the world by storm, as consumers are becoming more and more conscious of what they are putting on the dinner plate; and thus giving consumers a greater sense of buying power and most importantly, increased health. Organic food as explained in the trusty dictionary definition are foods that are produced to a set of standards and principles concerning such issues as chemical pesticides/herbicides/insecticides, food additives, animal welfare and sustainability. Organic growers aim to produce food as 'naturally' as possible.
Organic farmers aim to produce crop from a balanced, living soil - which is free from synthetic chemicals or genetically modified organisms. Which places a large emphasis on the holistic farm management approach; ultimately recognising that our health is directly connected to the health of the food we eat, and ultimately the health of the soil.
In the production of animal products, under the Australian Organic Standards cages are not permitted. Animal welfare is also considered, allowing only free-range animals. In addition, the use of growth hormones and such are refrained from use, by approaching parasite problems through regularly moving animals to fresh pasture.
Have you ever picked a piece of fruit from a tree and realised the limited time it stays ripe? Compare this with buying the same piece of fruit from your local supermarket which will stay ripe for up to a week if not more! Not a good sign! Every one's circumstance is different and longevity and cost always come into play especially for families feeding a few mouths. However by being conscious of these methods and trying to replace at least half usual non-organic items with organic will be beneficial for overall health. Who wants to eat chemicals? Not me!
If you can't always get to local growers markets on the weekends, never fear the big players have their little organic produce range (even though it is not as large as it could be). Also a good indicator to look out for is the little ACO (Australian Certified Organic) Bud - featured above. Products apply for organic certification, and an Organic Certifying group audits a business' methods to ensure they comply with national or international standards for organic farming and processing.
Enjoy, some food for thought (pun intended).
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