Organic Food
Introduction
In this fast running life of a human being, very few people care about their diet and its effect on their body. Very few people properly know about organic food. The reason is either they do not care or they do not have that much time. As a result, they are not aware that they are eating pesticides, chemicals, drugs and growth hormones with their normal daily food that they eat.
Organic Food
In simple language, organic foods are those foods, which are produced, processed and packaged without using any chemicals. Scientifically it means the foods, which are made according to the standards set by national governments and internationals organizations. Different countries have different standards for growing, packaging, processing, and shipping. In the United States, Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) manages production of organic food. European countries follow the rules of EU-Eco-regulation 1992 and in Japan Japanese Agricultural Standard (JAS) are implemented as law since April, 2001. Thus is with other different countries. Organic food is produced specially under certain guidance and norms. In the simpler way, organic food is a type of certified food grown in accordance with some production standards. It is grown in special farms called organic farms and is continuously monitored by the officials of the certification body.
Organic food is gaining popularity these days because of their benefits to health. This industry is growing rapidly and attracting the farmers, manufacturers and the normal people, who finally are the consumers. The organic food items are organic tea and coffee, organic wine, organic vegetables, organic fruits, organic rice, organic herbs, organic essential oils, organic coconut, organic corn, and organic olive oil. Many people grow organic food in their home gardens. However, for this purpose they need organic seeds, organic fertilizers, compost, organic pest control and organic root stimulators.
List of Organic Foods
The commonly produced organic food items are wheat, rice, groundnut, sugarcane, cotton, ginger, tea, coffee, custard apple, sesame, chickpeas, castor, cumin, banana, apple, papaya, brinjal, chickpeas, jawar, maize, bajra, mustard, cardamom, green gram, black gram, pigeon pea, cucurbits, cole crops and leafy vegetables.
Advantages of Organic food Products
- Scientific studies suggest that Organic food contains (10-15) % of more phyto nutrients as compared to the conventional food
- There is less risk of health problems in the consumption of organic food
- Organic food takes longer time to decay so it lasts for longer time
- They are free from chemicals like pesticide, herbicides and chemical fertilizers
- Organic food contains phenolic compounds, which provides strength to the heart and minimizes the chances of heart related problems
- Fruits and vegetables of organic farms contain more antioxidants as compared to the foods grown in conventional farms
- Organic foods are grown naturally and no chemicals are sprayed on it for growth or quality
- Organic food may not look colorful or attractive but are very tasty and full of nutrition
- Organic food saves the top soil from erosion and is friendly to environment
- It contains the nutrients essential for the body and has multiple health benefits
To know more about organic food and read further: