Many health-conscious individuals have focused their diets on the consumption of organic food, which has become increasingly available with the growth of organic agriculture over the past few years. Organic food is a label defined by the USDA for the American market, while the European Union, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, India and Japan have their own unique mechanisms for identification.
While various groups have conducted studies on the benefits of organic versus traditional produce, there is also an environmental movement related to the ecological benefits of the products. In particular, studies have shown that foods grown through organic agricultural methods have both ecological, as well as health benefits as a result of their lack of synthetic chemicals. Some critics contend that organic farms have lower yields, while others contend that the practice is more sustainable. For health-conscious individuals, focusing on organic produce consumption, however, can have benefits both for taste and wellness.
The primary benefits from organic produce are in terms of improved freshness and quality, especially when the agricultural methods are linked to local, sustainable practices. Often times, organic produce is imported (by overnight plane) from Central America, which reduces the argument about lowering its ecological impact. By contrast, local farmer’s markets and community-based produce organizations offer both health, environmental and economic benefits related to the slow foods movement. In addition to finding organic foods in specialty stores, such as Whole Foods Market, consumers can find organics in a variety of traditional supermarkets, local farmer’s markets as well as directly from organic farmers. Today, nearly any types of food, ranging from produce to dairy to meat products, can be found as USDA-certified organic, which requires that any combination products be at least 95% comprised of organic ingredients. Since the introduction of the label earlier this decade, consumption and awareness of organics has increased exponentially.
