Organic Health Food – Is it Better for You
January 24, 2009
Filed under Garden
Organic food is a common sight in supermarkets these days and it is a bit more expensive than the non-organic ranges. Nevertheless, what is organic health food exactly? Is organic boneless chicken better for you than conventional boneless chicken? Does it taste better?
What is Organic Health Food?
Organic produce is grown and processed differently. It will not have been exposed to conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers, food additives, industrial waste, human waste, or ionizing radiation.
Organic livestock, such as chickens, are reared without the use of growth hormones or antibiotics and they are fed a healthy diet. They are not genetically modified. An organic chicken will have been fed organic grains grown on a farm which has free of chemicals and pesticides for a minimum of three years.
An organic chicken will have been raised humanely in an environment without stress. It will have had daily exercise in the fresh air and sun with plenty of room to move about. Free-range chickens can also wander about but they might be exposed to dirty conditions, be fed poor quality food and they might be given drugs or antibiotics.
The Popularity of Organic Health Food
You used to only be able to get organic produce in small stores and farmer’s markets because organic farms were small and family run. Organic food production has increased about 20% a year since the early 1990s and this applies to both developed and developing nations.
$9 billion worth of organic health food was sold in 2002 in the United States and in the same year, the Department of Agriculture released the National Organic Standards. This was a list of guidelines to follow in order for farmers to be able to put the “organic” label on their produce. Organic foods have accounted for between 1 and 2% of worldwide food sales since April 2008. The British are great lovers of organic health food and lots of their organic produce has to be imported because British farmers cannot keep up with the high demand.
Does it Taste Different?
The difference in flavor between an organic chicken and a free-range chicken is slight but the difference between an organic chicken and a battery chicken is very obvious.
Organic chickens can roam freely so they have used muscles, not wasted muscles. They have a better life, eat better food, and can grow at a natural rate, meaning they will taste richer and better. Organic food is more expensive because this method of farming is more labor intensive and the feed for the livestock costs more.
What about making a juicy chicken recipe with rich, tasty organic boneless chicken, succulent organic vegetables and an organic tomato based sauce? Everybody should taste organic vegetables because they are so fragrant and rich in flavor. If you are concerned about the health of your family, why not try making a delicious recipe such as this one, full of natural goodness as well as flavor? Making your own recipes from scratch is more economical than using pre-packaged food, so if you save money on the ingredients, spending a few more cents on organic produce will not matter so much.


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