Environmental Impact of Organic Foods

One of the main reasons that many people choose to eat organic foods is for its benefits for the human body.  However, an important benefit that comes from the production of organic food is its less-destructive effect on the environment than that of traditional agriculture.

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Since organic food production requires the use of organic fertilizers, there are less toxins and harmful chemicals being put into the soil to help the crops grow.  In fact, organic fertilizers can sometimes benefit the soil.  Soil is also benefited through crop rotation.

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Organic fertilizers also emit less pollution into the environment in general, including the water and air supplies.  This is because less toxic fuels are needed to produce organic food, and therefore release less harmful chemicals into the environment.

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Overall the production of organic food is beneficial for the environment in the long-term.  Its production may take longer but its focus is on the long-term benefits for the environment and the consumer, rather than the cheap, profit-turning, mass-produced food generated by traditional agriculture.

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Organic Coffee

Organic coffee can have a multitude of benefits for both the consumer and the environment.  Thanks to buzz words like "fair trade," the demand for organic coffee in the US has increased drastically in the recent years.  Although it comes at a high price, there is a large market for organic coffee thanks to its environmentally-concious consumers and "chic" quality.

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To be certified organic, coffee must follow guidelines for both the growth of the crop and the production of processing the coffee.  The coffee beans must be grown in an organic field and not be treated by any non-organic fertilizers or pesticides.  In production, to be considered organic the beans cannot receive any unnatural additives or chemicals.

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Organic coffee farming has a better effect on the environment than traditional farming, because of the way that the soil must be treated.  Since no inorganic fertilizers can be used on the farmland, organic coffee farming promotes the continuation of healthy soil and a healthy environment.  Because of the strict regulations set by the USDA, organic coffee is usually grown on a small-scale, which in turn generally produces a better crop, but usually at a significantly higher price for consumers.

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Organic Beef

Beef is one of the most difficult categories to classify as organic.  This is due to the fact that the classification involves multiple levels of organic certification.  Although organic beef can be very expensive, it holds a multitude of benefits for both humans and the environment.

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To be considered organic, according to the US Department of Agriculture, cattle must be raised on a certified organic pasture, never receive antibiotics or hormones, only eat grass or organic grains, and have the freedom to graze and live outdoors.

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Because of all of these strict regulations, one of the greatest benefits of purchasing and consuming organic beef products is its environmental impact.  The cattle are raised in a responsible manner that does not harm the environment as much as traditional production.

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The health benefits associated with organic beef are also extremely valuable.  Since all of the breeding and care information is carefully traced and noted, any potential health risks or exposures to toxins or chemicals are known.  Especially after all of the publicity surrounding dangerous beef products in the current news, consumers are taking more precautions when purchasing beef for their family to consume.

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Organic Whole Grains

"Whole grains" has become a sort of buzz word in the recent healthy eating craze.  Ads on television talk about the importance of eating only whole grains, and several times per day.  There are several products that claim to be "whole grains" by their labels and packaging in the grocery store, but what does whole grain actually mean?

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Whole grain means that the wheat kernel contains all of its original "parts" - the endosperm, the bran and the germ.  Processed grains contain just the endosperm.  When a grain has all of its original components it does not lose any of its nutrients or other health benefits.  Whole grains can be found in many different types of foods and grains.  Whole wheat, wild rice, barley, oats and quinoa are just a few common examples of whole grains.

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The health benefits of whole grains are endless.  One of the main benefits of whole grains that is most relatable to the average consumer is that it is more satisfying than refined grains and for a longer time.  This means that it will take longer to feel hungry again, and can therefore lead to weight loss and a healthier lifestyle!  There are also several minerals and vitamins in whole grains that cannot be naturally found in many other foods that are important for a healthy diet.

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Whole grain foods have also been found to taste better.  It is a common myth that heathy grain foods can taste like "cardboard" or just be boring to eat, but several blind studies have been done that prove that most people prefer the taste of breads made with whole grains rather than processed wheat.  Many foods made with whole grains have intimidating names, like this barley risotto from Eating Well magazine, but are in fact delicious while still being extremely nutritious!

Barley Risotto with Fennel

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/barley_risotto_with_fennel.html

From EatingWell:  January/February 2008

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs, cored and finely diced, plus 2 tablespoons chopped fronds
• 1 cup pearl barley, or short-grain brown rice
• 1 small carrot, finely chopped
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, or “no-chicken” broth
• 1-1 1/2 cups water, divided
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups frozen French-cut green beans
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup pitted oil-cured black olives, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. Coat a 4-quart or larger slow cooker with cooking spray. Crush fennel seeds with the bottom of a saucepan. Combine the fennel seeds, diced fennel, barley (or rice), carrot, shallot and garlic in the slow cooker. Add broth, 1 cup water and wine, and stir to combine. Cover and cook until the barley (or rice) is tender, but pleasantly chewy, and the risotto is thick and creamy, 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours on high or low.
2. Shortly before serving, cook green beans according to package instructions and drain. Turn off the slow cooker. Stir the green beans, Parmesan, olives, lemon zest and pepper into the risotto. If it seems dry, heat the remaining 1/2 cup water and stir it into the risotto. Serve sprinkled with the chopped fennel fronds.

Nutrition

Per serving : 242 Calories; 6 g Fat; 2 g Sat; 1 g Mono; 9 mg Cholesterol; 36 g Carbohydrates; 10 g Protein; 8 g Fiber; 474 mg Sodium; 330 mg Potassium

2 Carbohydrate Serving

Organic Apples

As the saying goes, an apple a day keeps the doctor away.  But if that apple has been sprayed with aggressive chemicals and pesticides, it may be more of a danger than a healthy fruit!

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The process of growing apples is very complex.  Apple growers need several different types of trees to cross-pollinate each other and grow together.  This can make it very difficult for small farmers and apple growers to successfully raise an apple orchard, because of the extensive amount of pruning and care.  The farm I grew up working on was also an apple orchard and every fall the owners spent countless hours cutting back limbs, mowing grass in perfect patterns around the trees, and controlling the bees that were pollinating the apples.

http://www.kuipersfamilyfarm.com/blog/tag/apple-orchard/

Since apples are so sensitive to weather, insects and many other factors, chemicals have been developed to keep them looking ideal while still ripening properly.  Many of the chemicals used in the past have been found to cause cancer in humans, and thus been removed from the market.  The American idea that produce has to be physically perfect in every way and accessible every day of the year has demanded that chemicals essentially shape the way fruit grows.  In my opinion these techniques create apples that look too perfect.

http://cooklearngrow.com/2011/11/an-apple-a-day-keeps-the-doctor-away/

But this doesn't have to be the way.  There are many different organically-created sprays and techniques for maintaining a healthy apple crop.  There are "safe" chemicals that can be sprayed on the trees that do not harm the crop or the environment.  There are also pollination techniques that don't require chemicals at all, such as releasing a swarm of bees at the right time to pollinate the fruit so that it can grow on its own, without the forced control of a chemical.  These techniques are time-consuming and are certainly easier to do with a smaller orchard, but can avoid all of the dangers that come from the mass-produced orchard pesticide spraying and growth control.

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This picture is of Adam's Apple Orchard in Williston, Vermont!  

Organic Dairy

One of the most popular ways to go organic is through the consumption of organic dairy.  For me, organic dairy was always a no-brainer because it was essentially all that was available to me growing up.

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 Similar to the production of organic eggs, the production of organic milk has everything to do with the way that the animal is raised that produces it.  According to USDA Certified Organic standards, the cows that produce milk cannot be fed any antibiotics or hormones.  Their food sources must also be organic, so this means that the grass they eat must also be organic.  The levels of safe production and nutrient protection that goes into organic dairy production is unmatched.

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According to Organic Valley a large organic farm co-op, organic milk has higher levels of vitamin-E, beta carotene, omega3 fatty-acids, and antioxidants.

The benefits of organic dairy go beyond just the benefit for the human drinking the milk.  The treatment that organic dairy cows receive is also much better than that of non-organic milk producing dairy cows. Their living environments, feed and general lifestyle is generally better than mass-produced milk dairy cows.  However, there are still larger organic farms that have cramped living environments for their cows.  The only way to ensure proper treatment and excellent production is to buy from a small, well known local farm.

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Organic Eggs

Eggs in general are a healthy source of protein that are available virtually everywhere in the United States.  However, there are seemingly many different available options in purchasing eggs.  There are labels lie Organic, cage-free, free-range, and more.  Organic eggs are something that confuse many people because of the way that they are labeled and marketed in grocery stores.

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Cage-free and free-range eggs allegedly refer to the way that the chickens themselves are raised.  Cage-free means that the chickens are not raised in small cages surrounding them, but rather have the ability to move around with lots of space.  However, the reality of this is that many chickens that are raised "cage-free" are actually still confined to small structures and maybe get to see just one hour of sunlight per day.  The same is true for free-range eggs, which are supposed to come from chickens that have full mobility and are not confined at all.  

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Organic eggs refer to the diet of the chicken itself.  Chickens that produce organic eggs are fed organic feed, and are not given any feed with GMOs or other hormones.  The chickens are also supposed to be raised in cage-free environments with access to sunlight.  The chickens are also not allowed to be fed any antibiotics.  All organic chicken farmers are subject to strict regulation and screenings by the US Department of Agriculture.

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In my opinion, the only way to be sure that you are eating an actually "organic" or "cage-free" egg, is to purchase eggs sourced from local, recognizable farms if possible.  I know the family that owns the farm that my family buy eggs from, so I always know that what I am eating will be the highest quality from a trustworthy source.