Orgánico o Convencional
As I walk into the local Kroger in Springfield, Ohio I see
shopping carts filled with Trix cereal, chicken breast, ground beef, dairies,
and other typical American goods that are purchased at the grocery stores. I
walk down the aisles and I see some oranges separated by the organic brand and
the store or company brand. So I think to myself “which of the two would be the
healthier choice?”Well according to the recent Stanford study. Neither.
On September 3, Stanford publicly announced that there is no
recognizable difference between organic and conventional foods. The research
states that the difference is very minimal, and that the difference is in the
pesticide levels. Well, isn’t that an indication that organic is better?
Stanford states, “as the researchers noted, the pesticide levels of all foods
generally fell within the allowable safety limit” (med.stanford.edu). What is
that limit? If I were feeding my children I would want to give them the best
nutrition with the least amount pesticides, which would mean organic
foods.
Although, conventional fruits and vegetables still are not on
the level of conventional meats. In the Stanford study states, “There were no
long-term studies of health outcomes of people consuming organic versus
conventionally produced food”(med.stanford.edu). Conventional meat has a very
high risk of bacteria that can cause illnesses in many cases and death in some.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states, “Each year nearly 2
million people in the U.S acquire an infection while in a hospital, resulting in
90,000 deaths”(wwwnc.cdc.gov).
But, human health is not the only thing which the conventional
style of food preparation is detrimental. The environment is also in harm’s way
when food is engineered through the use of pesticides, and other chemicals. The
President of the Organic Farming Association of India, Sarvadaman Patel, “he no
longer applies petroleum-derived fertilizers and growing chemicals to his crops,
he is also avoiding excessive pollution runoff, which contributes significantly
to the environmental alterations commonly attributed to climate change”
(naturalnews.com). Organic foods have the potential to change the way our world
works if we take the idea and run with it. Organic foods also have around the
same yields as the conventional foods do. This means that the organic foods can
produce the amount that conventional can.
However, many people still buy conventional foods because
organic foods have higher prices. Although, between 1997 and 2011, U.S. sales of
organic foods increased from $3.6 billion to $24.4 billion many Americans feel
like they cannot afford the organic foods, which ultimately causes the
purchasing of conventional foods.
According to Patel, “governments subsidize conventional growing methods
while offering little or nothing in support of organic production,” which makes
conventional farms able to produce at a higher rate, and be able to sell
products at a lower price. Organic foods are natural in which they are made.
They happen to be more fresh in taste and you would have a lesser chance of
getting sick, not just from the direct food but from the develop as well.
Conventional foods have been genetically modified and this can increase health
problems in the future. So it is evident that the organic food will be a better
choice than the conventional. “Hmm, I think I’m going with the organic
oranges”.
As I walk into the local Kroger in Springfield, Ohio I see
shopping carts filled with Trix cereal, chicken breast, ground beef, dairies,
and other typical American goods that are purchased at the grocery stores. I
walk down the aisles and I see some oranges separated by the organic brand and
the store or company brand. So I think to myself “which of the two would be the
healthier choice?”Well according to the recent Stanford study. Neither.
On September 3, Stanford publicly announced that there is no
recognizable difference between organic and conventional foods. The research
states that the difference is very minimal, and that the difference is in the
pesticide levels. Well, isn’t that an indication that organic is better?
Stanford states, “as the researchers noted, the pesticide levels of all foods
generally fell within the allowable safety limit” (med.stanford.edu). What is
that limit? If I were feeding my children I would want to give them the best
nutrition with the least amount pesticides, which would mean organic
foods.
Although, conventional fruits and vegetables still are not on
the level of conventional meats. In the Stanford study states, “There were no
long-term studies of health outcomes of people consuming organic versus
conventionally produced food”(med.stanford.edu). Conventional meat has a very
high risk of bacteria that can cause illnesses in many cases and death in some.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states, “Each year nearly 2
million people in the U.S acquire an infection while in a hospital, resulting in
90,000 deaths”(wwwnc.cdc.gov).
But, human health is not the only thing which the conventional
style of food preparation is detrimental. The environment is also in harm’s way
when food is engineered through the use of pesticides, and other chemicals. The
President of the Organic Farming Association of India, Sarvadaman Patel, “he no
longer applies petroleum-derived fertilizers and growing chemicals to his crops,
he is also avoiding excessive pollution runoff, which contributes significantly
to the environmental alterations commonly attributed to climate change”
(naturalnews.com). Organic foods have the potential to change the way our world
works if we take the idea and run with it. Organic foods also have around the
same yields as the conventional foods do. This means that the organic foods can
produce the amount that conventional can.
However, many people still buy conventional foods because
organic foods have higher prices. Although, between 1997 and 2011, U.S. sales of
organic foods increased from $3.6 billion to $24.4 billion many Americans feel
like they cannot afford the organic foods, which ultimately causes the
purchasing of conventional foods.
According to Patel, “governments subsidize conventional growing methods
while offering little or nothing in support of organic production,” which makes
conventional farms able to produce at a higher rate, and be able to sell
products at a lower price. Organic foods are natural in which they are made.
They happen to be more fresh in taste and you would have a lesser chance of
getting sick, not just from the direct food but from the develop as well.
Conventional foods have been genetically modified and this can increase health
problems in the future. So it is evident that the organic food will be a better
choice than the conventional. “Hmm, I think I’m going with the organic
oranges”.