Essay on Health Benefits of Organic Food and Counter Argument

Introduction

Organic food refers to food which are prepared and produced without the use of chemicals. During the production of organic food, artificial chemicals or genetic modification are not used (Tuomisto et al., 2012). People demand organic food because of the belief that they are healthier as compared to the non-organic food. For instance, in the United States, the demand for organic food grew from $3.5 billion in 1996 to more than $28 billion in 2010 (Smith-Spangler et al., 2012). Several specialty stores have emerged so that they can fill in the gap for the demand for organic food. There is a high probability that in the future, the demand of organic food might increase, as people become more knowledgeable on food and health matters. Despite the preference for organic food by different population in the world, there are varied opinions regarding their benefits (Forman & Silverstein, 2012). Benefits of organic food include the health benefits that they have on human beings as well as the balance in the natural environment; a counter argument to this is the notion that non-organic foods are readily and easily available, which justifies the preference that people have towards them.

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The manner in which food has been grown is likely to have an impact on the wellbeing of consumers. It may affect the mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing of consumers who take it both in the short-term and in the long-term (Forman & Silverstein, 2012). Organic farming applies methods such as green manure to fertilize the land, intercropping and crop rotation to control pests and diseases helps in the production of healthy and safer food products. When consumers of organic food eat healthy food, they are in a position to get more nourishment compared to those that rely on non-organic food (Paul & Rana, 2012).

According to Shafie and Rennie (2012), scientific tests conducted have established that organically grown food produce antioxidants. The antioxidants act as a protective compound, keeping away pests that attack plants. The organic food also has lower nitrate content which also serves as a pest-resistant element. A study by Shaffie and Rennie (2012) determined that meat and dairy products which have been produced using organic methods have higher levels of healthy fatty acids. The research established that organic milk and meat contains about 50% more beneficial omega-3 fatty acids than the conventionally produced meat and dairy. According to Reganold & Wachter (2016), the antioxidant levels in organic plants are about 69% higher than in conventionally grown food. The antioxidants in organic food are essential for the human body because they help protect body cells from damage.

There are notable differences in the nutrition value of organic and conventionally produced milk in relation to the amount of fatty acids available in each (Paul & Rana, 2012). For instance, fatty acids, like the Omega-3s are essential in the prevention of diseases in the human body like cardiovascular diseases. In addition, they help in boosting the immune system and improve the neurological functioning. Hence, the consumption of milk and meat which has been organically produced guarantees the consumer high-quality minerals and vitamins.

According to Mie & Wivstad (2015) people who consume organic food are more physically active and they rarely die from chronic illnesses compared to those who consume non-organic food. Such individuals have lower incidences of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and hypercholesterolemia. Further, the health of a child may be affected if they are regularly fed with conventional food. Mie & Wivstad (2015) emphasize that children who consume organic food enjoy a stable health, with low possibilities of developing allergies or atopic conditions, compared to those who are fed non-organic food.

Crinnion (2010) studied lactating mothers and concluded that they also enjoy the health benefits of consuming organic food. This was determined through a survey conducted on a group of 2700 new mothers from the Netherlands. The study established that vitamins and mineral contents were more significant in organic food. Crinnion (2010) argues that organic food has 29% more magnesium, 21% more iron, 13.6% more phosphorous and 27% more ascorbic acid compared to non-organic food. This concurs with suggestions made by Mie & Wivstad (2015) that eating organic food makes people physically active and free from heart diseases and other disorders. The minerals and sugar structures found in natural food make them tasty as the plants have been given more time to develop and mature.

In organic farming, the methods adopted a focus on animal welfare, which goes beyond the conventional farming standards (Forman & Silverstein, 2012). In traditional farming, the animals are given antibiotics which protect against illnesses and enable them to grow healthy despite being placed in a small-enclosed environment. A renowned firm, International Federation of Agriculture Movement (IFOAM), was established to develop the criteria for organic farming and animal husbandry. The essential guidelines of organic animal husbandry state that animals should be bred in a natural environment and the use of any chemicals and drugs should be avoided. FDA has banned the use of certain antibiotics for livestock, but some farmers still use them. A study by Hammarberg (2002) revealed that organic regulation provides guidelines on ways of treating injured or sick animals when in conventional farming. Alternatively, animals should be left untreated or expedited for butchering before sickness worsens. The study also established that traces of antibiotics used on animals could affect consumers (Hammarberg, 2002). In conventional dairy farming, it is common to find a cow being separated from her calf which limits the bonding and is considered unnatural. Hammarberg (2002) affirms Mie & Wivstad (2015) arguments that organic food improves the welfare of animals and that of people.

Another benefit of breeding animals in an organic environment is the provision of space for the creatures. Organic farming understands the value of space in relation to the wellbeing of the animals. When animals move around freely, their bodies function well, and they can be more productive (Crinnion, 2010). For instance, their milk production might increase. However, a significant difference between organic and conventional animal husbandry lies in the process of butchering the animals.

Another benefit of advocating the growth and consumption of organic food is that it can be beneficial to the environment. Organic farming does not only focus on production of healthy food but also considers the long-term sustainability of the environment through agricultural interventions on the eco-system. The organic farming methods are internationally governed by the United Nation's Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) which focuses on ecology, health, fairness, and care in farming (Crinnion, 2010). Ecology focuses on the balance of nature through organic farming methods. Organic agriculture aims to strike an ecological balance and uses farming methods which do not affect the environment negatively (Crinnion, 2010). For instance, organic agriculture encourages practices like crop rotations, intercropping, cover crops and minimum tillage. All these are aimed at improving the soil formation and structure which leads to the creation of a stabilized systems. Organic farming has supported the increase of soil organic matter and lowered nutrients losses per unit area. The soil management methods used in organic farming also helps to control soil erosion through reduction of the amount of time the soil is exposed to erosion forces (Forman & Silverstein, 2012). The organic farming practices also increase soil biodiversity which reduces nutrient losses and helps maintain and improve the soil productivity. Organic agriculture also makes use of organic fertilizers like animal manure, compost, and green manure (Gad & Dacko, 2013). These fertilizer options benefit the environment by enhancing soil structure and water infiltration.

Another limitation of engaging in non-organic farming includes the increased use of renewable energy. Non-organic agriculture increases the greenhouse effect and global warming through the ability to sequester carbon in the soil (Shafie and Rennie, 2012). The input of chemicals in the earth contaminate the natural composition of healthy soil, meaning that such cannot support the growth of plants unless boosters or incentives are poured on it to trigger the growth. The increased levels of nitrogen and nitrous oxide make it impossible to grow plants. In addition, during irrigation or after the rains, the soil is pushed down to water bodies, which contaminate the drinking water. Nitrogen leaching happens when water remains stagnant in the soil for a long period, making the groundwater have excess nitrogen. Further, the ignorance of farmers to practice crop rotation and cover crops encourages the spread of nitrogen precipitates in the soil. According to Crinnion (2010), the more the earth holds organic carbon, the more the mitigation potential of agriculture against climate change is higher. Non-organic farming uses Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) which are harmful to the environment and health of consumers. A solution to this problem would be the adoption of organic methods of farming. This is because they favor interactions within the agro-ecosystem which are important for both agricultural production and nature conservation. The ecological services attained include soil stabilization, soil forming and conditioning, carbon sequestration, nutrients cycling and waste recycling (Hjelmar, 2011). When a consumer purchases organic products then they are promoting a less polluted agricultural system. Organic agriculture helps reduce the degradation of natural resources. Therefore, this encourages biodiversity and development of seeds and breeds which have a greater resistance to disease and resistance to tough climatic conditions (Forman & Silverstein, 2012).

According to Hjelmar (2011) consumers have reported cases of food-borne sickness outbreaks. Some of the products that are reported to contribute to the food-borne illnesses include spinach, melons, peanut butter, eggs and food from fast food restaurants. The primary cause of these food-borne illnesses has linked them to agribusiness and conventional farming (Reganold & Wachter, 2016). The food-borne diseases occur when animals do not get vaccinated and the infectious meat consumed by human beings. This practice is known as concentrated animal feeding operations, and it leads to a deadly drug-resistant illness which is passed on to consumers when they eat food products from these products (Hjelmar, 2011). The best way to prevent these illnesses has been established to consume organic food. The methods used in the production of organic food have been determined to be very safe because organic food do not use any chemical preservatives. This makes organic food very healthy and tasty because they are often given the necessary time to develop and mature (Crinnion, 2010). The use of environmentally friendly agricultural production techniques ensures that the food is not contaminated and have a better taste as compared to conventional food.

One of the shortcomings of consuming non-organic food is because they are full of chemicals (Shafie & Rennie, 2012). The plants are grown in an environment that do not allow them to thrive naturally. Pesticides used in the production of food is linked to some disorders and diseases such as headaches, digestive dysfunctions, cancers, ADHD, weak...