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Organic food and its long-term benefits
In the past, agriculture was a way of life, as most, if not all people grew their own food produce in their backyard. There was always a supply of healthy fresh fruits and vegetables of everyone. There was no need for artificial enhancements, pesticides and herbicides, as the soil, air and water were known to be pollution-free.
Fertilisers used were naturally sourced from animal manures. For those who bought from the market, they were still assured that the produce they bought was still organic and natural as these were mostly surplus from the vendors’ own garden.
As the population grew, the need for produce farms and advance agriculture and husbandry has been slowly recognised. Agricultural expansion and farming technology have been introduced to meet the demands of the growing populace, and because of this need to provide continuous supplies of agricultural produce particularly fresh fruits and vegetables, various scientific discoveries have helped to genetically produce them on a larger and a more regular scale even if crops are out of season. These are used to augment the natural fertilization process that the traditional plant cultivation made use of.
Pesticides, insecticides and other herbicides made their way to farmlands to contain the spread of damage caused by pests, insects and vermin that infest the lands. These measures have made it possible to supply the ever-growing demand for food.
However, the modern day consumer now feels the setbacks from these agricultural modernisations and modifications. The increasing rate of cancer cases and newly discovered illnesses are traced back to the quality of food that people eat. Thus, the need for a return to healthy, chemical free organic food was slowly realised.
Organic food is defined as naturally produced food which has not made use of artificial and genetic fertilisers and has not been treated with pesticides or any chemical substance including antibiotics and growth hormones. The term applies not only to fruits and vegetables but to meats from animals grown in an all-natural way and fed with equally organic feeds.
Today, a good number of Australians are seriously looking at growing their own organic food right in their own gardens. Yet some prefer the convenience of buying them from supermarkets and groceries or specialist organic food shops that are cropping up more and more.
Organic food must be issued proper certification before it can be considered organic. The AQIS or The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service is assigned to inspect and certify mass produced organic food according to standard organic principles.
However, there are issues concerning its availability and price. But the issues of availability remain to be a top concern because of the relatively low demand for such food. This is probably caused by the low awareness among people about the benefits of eating organic food. If consumers are made aware of the lasting health benefits of organic food and the long-term danger of continuous consumption of mass produced and enhanced produce, there will be a greater need to be satisfied by organic food producers. As a result of increased production, the pricing system would also be addressed accordingly.
Now is indeed the time to go organic. Buying organic may be a slightly higher cost option but owing to its superior health benefits, it will surely become more cost-efficient healthwise in the long run.
You can research on the web for organic food shops near you or organic food stockists. If your lucky enough to have more than one organic food supplier in your shopping area you can then compare quality, availability, variety and prices for organic foods.
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