Organic food gaining popularity due to health benefits
Jessica Bowers
Issue date: 4/8/09 Section: Dixie Sun Link Features
In today's society people are becoming more aware of the environment by driving environmentally safe cars, using environmentally safe grocery bags, and even eating environmentally safe foods.
Jan Fowlke, owner of Health Nut Natural Foods Market, 695 S. 100 W., said organic food is gaining popularity as an eco-friendly option to food. In order for a food to be considered organic it has to be grown naturally without any chemical pesticides.
There is a lot of confusion between the difference of a pesticide and an herbicide.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency Web site, http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/, pesticides refer to any substances that control pests, including herbicides and fungicides. Pests are any living organism that is unwanted or causes damage to crops, humans or other animals.
Examples of pests are insects, animals, unwanted plants and bacteria.
A food might be labeled "pesticide free," but that doesn't mean it is certifiably organic. This can be because the previous crop was sprayed with pesticides and there is chemical residue still in the soil.
"It may be pesticide free, but it hasn't been certified yet because the ground hasn't had time to rid itself of pesticides," Fowlke said.
Claudia Alldredge, shift manager at Dixie Nutrition, 406 W. St. George Blvd., said organic inspectors test the land and the food to make sure it was grown naturally.
In order for a crop to be certified organic, it cannot grow next to a farm that uses pesticides because of the chemicals blowing over to the organic crop.
"A reputable company will have certified organic," Alldredge said.
While organic food is environmentally friendly, it also has some health benefits.
Organic food is grown in a soil that is rich in nutrients and minerals, allowing the plant to have exactly what it needs to grow. The food that is grown in this rich soil has more nutritious value, according to the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association's Web site, www.mofga.org.
The small doses of pesticides and herbicides that are consumed can in the long run affect our health. In elderly people, their livers have a hard time detoxifying the chemicals, leading them to weaker immune systems. During the development of a child, there is a point where the child becomes very vulnerable to exposure of chemicals that can affect their neurological and immune systems, according to www.alternet.org/module/81773.
"There is a trend for organic. You feel better, you're healthier," Fowlke said. "It's more expensive, but people feel it's worth it."
Jan Fowlke, owner of Health Nut Natural Foods Market, 695 S. 100 W., said organic food is gaining popularity as an eco-friendly option to food. In order for a food to be considered organic it has to be grown naturally without any chemical pesticides.
There is a lot of confusion between the difference of a pesticide and an herbicide.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency Web site, http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/, pesticides refer to any substances that control pests, including herbicides and fungicides. Pests are any living organism that is unwanted or causes damage to crops, humans or other animals.
Examples of pests are insects, animals, unwanted plants and bacteria.
A food might be labeled "pesticide free," but that doesn't mean it is certifiably organic. This can be because the previous crop was sprayed with pesticides and there is chemical residue still in the soil.
"It may be pesticide free, but it hasn't been certified yet because the ground hasn't had time to rid itself of pesticides," Fowlke said.
Claudia Alldredge, shift manager at Dixie Nutrition, 406 W. St. George Blvd., said organic inspectors test the land and the food to make sure it was grown naturally.
In order for a crop to be certified organic, it cannot grow next to a farm that uses pesticides because of the chemicals blowing over to the organic crop.
"A reputable company will have certified organic," Alldredge said.
While organic food is environmentally friendly, it also has some health benefits.
Organic food is grown in a soil that is rich in nutrients and minerals, allowing the plant to have exactly what it needs to grow. The food that is grown in this rich soil has more nutritious value, according to the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association's Web site, www.mofga.org.
The small doses of pesticides and herbicides that are consumed can in the long run affect our health. In elderly people, their livers have a hard time detoxifying the chemicals, leading them to weaker immune systems. During the development of a child, there is a point where the child becomes very vulnerable to exposure of chemicals that can affect their neurological and immune systems, according to www.alternet.org/module/81773.
"There is a trend for organic. You feel better, you're healthier," Fowlke said. "It's more expensive, but people feel it's worth it."
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