Organic or Not? (Part I)
June 24, 2012 // Nutrition, Wellness
Best By: Tomorrow.
The agricultural industry has changed dramatically in the last century. Local food suppliers were once the main food source for people and communities alike. Many families had their own farms, and those that did not were able to purchase their foods direct from the local farmers. The biggest issue faced by farmers was the shelf life of their crops. “Shelf life” is a term used to describe the length of time a food is given before it is unsuitable for consumption. Foods with a limited shelf life are affected by light and heat, which allows bacteria to grow and becomes dangerous to consume. Shelf life limited the distribution of foods to people outside of the local area until methods of food preservation began to advance. As harvesting evolved with machinery and technology, preservation of food improved using techniques such as adding salt/sugar, packaging, and refrigeration. This extended the shelf life of the foods grown and made wide-scale distribution possible.
Throughout the years, local farming decreased and major food companies began to take over the processing and distribution of foods to the consumer using supermarkets. These companies have superior means of food preservation and modification, which cuts costs of production and increases profits for their business. Foods can be modified in various ways to increase their value and decrease their price. Many major brands utilize chemicals, pesticides, hormones, additives, and synthetics to enhance size, taste, color, texture of a food while substantially increasing its shelf life. The agricultural evolution has fed billions of people worldwide, increased food availability immensely, and regulated one of the four basic human needs for survival (food). However, the advanced modifications to the natural foods has caused a wide array for negative health consequences of the consumer.
Quality Over Quantity.
Dinner.
The human body is a brilliant, efficient factory that has a pre-set formula for every situation it encounters. The body wants to be as strong and prepared for its environment as possible. Lucky for us, our environment has changed from survival (hunter/gatherer) to modern day (office worker). Because of the removal of physical stress on the body, our bodies have decreased their energy output and therefore need to be challenged with resistance (exercise) in order to grow and maintain function. The decrease of physical activity means that food is more likely to store within the body instead of being used for energy. Furthermore, our dependency for quality nutrients is more important than ever. Unfortunately, the quality of the foods we eat today has decreased as well, due to the agricultural evolution of food modification, preservation, and distribution.
The decline in health has grown rapidly each year and the quest to remain physically healthy has become harder for the average consumer. The vast amount of recognized diseases has created a health awareness throughout the general public. Consumers try to shop for foods and products that have at least some health qualities. A new market of “organic” foods has emerged in the last couple of years since the rise in consumer awareness has changed purchasing habits. Major brands are producing organic versions of their food products to serve the health conscious consumer. Organic foods are typically free of the chemicals, pesticides, hormones, additives, and synthetics that are shown to increase adverse health effects (hypertension, obesity, diabetes, etc.) They are processed using only natural ingredients recognized by the human body. The organic foods produced have a shorter shelf life than a mass-produced product because the food preservation has been modified to a more natural state in the pursuit of a healthier absorption within the body.
Not For Everyone.
Because processing a food using organic ingredients is more costly to a company, the consumer has to pay a higher premium for a higher quality health product. This health expense has illuminated a major issue within the food economy; cheap food is the lowest quality and healthier food costs the most. To get the most benefit from an organic food product, a consumer must be willing to cook their organic food within a few days of its purchase. This may seem like a reasonable requirement, but understand that 28% of Americans do not know how to cook. The lower-income consumer that works 60+ hours in a week and has limited cooking skills would be less likely to purchase organic foods rather than a consumer with a higher-income, more available time, and cooking skills.
Organic foods are ideal for everyone because they ensure the foods we eat are of the highest quality for our health. Healthier foods compliment a healthy lifestyle, which is important for every person. However, organic foods are not always practical for everyone because they lack two important factors for consumers: convenience and price. A consumer must outline the importance and overall cost of their health and decide if the higher quality food is appropriate for them. If so, the consumer must then understand when buying organic is appropriate and how to shop for it.
