Buying Organic: Is it Really Worth the Extra Cost?
Since people shop for groceries on a regular basis, it's easy to see that more and more grocers are including organic produce, snacks and other foods in their inventory. This is due to the fact that an increasing number of households are resorting to organic foods to help improve the health of their families. Since most organic foods cost as much as twice the price of non-organic foods, many people either struggle to buy organic foods or don't buy them at all, even though they would like to. The burning question is: Is buying organic really worth the additional cost? This answer is yes and no, depending on the person as well as the type of food being purchased.
Organic food has become extremely popular in recent years because so many people have been suffering from nutritional deficiencies and environmental illnesses because of several factors. First of all, the type of soil that non-organic food is grown in, which is thought to be severely deficient in vitamins and minerals that our bodies need, contributes to lowered nutritional values in foods. Secondly, farmers often utilize any means necessary in order produce food as quickly as possible. If this means that they will use hormones to accelerate the growth of their livestock, then they will most likely use them.
The hormones and antibiotics often used in cows, chickens, and other animals used for food can cause many serious health conditions in humans. Consuming low-dose antibiotics on a regular basis can cause your body to build up antibiotic resistance, so if you develop a severe infection that requires antibiotics, the medication may not be effective in ridding your body of the infection. Hormones contained in meat can cause hormonal imbalances in both men, women and children, sometimes causing puberty to start much sooner than normal in young children. This is why eating chicken, beef and turkey without the addition of antibiotics is imperative. If you can find non-organic meat without the addition of antibiotic, that's great, but if not, organic is highly recommended.
Great deals of people choose to feed their families organic because of the alleged additional nutritional value. If you or your any of your family members suffer from nutritional deficiencies or a compromised immune system, then organic may be a sensible choice. Since organic food is grown in soil richer in vitamins and minerals and without the addition of harmful pesticides, this would give your body a break from chemicals, as well as provide you with some much-needed nutrients.
Some foods contain more pesticides than others, despite thorough washing prior to consumption. Potatoes, apples, strawberries and many other fruits and vegetables are among the non-organic foods that contain large amounts of pesticides. If you have a compromised immune system or are feeding an infant or toddler, organic produce would be the wiser choice, since numerous studies have proven that organic foods are safer and don't cause the buildup of pesticides and other chemical compounds in the body.
So, as you can see, it all depends on your personal health goals as well as your individual budget if buying organic food over non-organic is actually worth the price. If you see that consuming organic products is making a difference in your family's health and you are able to comfortably afford to buy it, then perhaps organic foods is a good idea for you and is well worth it. On the other hand, if you notice no difference in the way you or your family members feel after eating organic foods and your budget is really being stretched to the limit just to be able to afford it, then you might be better off buying non-organic.





