Why all the fuss about organic food? Is it really much better for you or just a craze?

Exactly how and whether organic food is more beneficial is a hotly disputed topic. But if one looks at the basics, organic food has many benefits over non-organic food, quite simply because the crops are grown and the animals are reared naturally.

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Health24's DietDoc, Dr Ingrid van Heerden explains that "The benefits of organic food are that these foods are hopefully (we have to trust the farmers on this) grown without the use of pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers. Thus the difference would be that these foods are less contaminated by the above mentioned chemicals."

The benefits of organic foods:

• Organic farming lowers water pollution and builds soil fertility.
• By eating organic food, you cut down on the chemical load that you take in, as it contains no insecticides, pesticides, growth hormones, antibiotics, fertilisers and toxic artificial additives, flavourings, colourings and preservatives.
• The food reaches you in a natural state with its nutrient content intact.
• Organic food is often fresher than non-organic food, because it has no preservatives so it is rushed straight to the shops.
• Natural food as more flavour

The downside

• They are more expensive.
• Organic produce must be thoroughly washed because it may be contaminated by improperly composted animal fertiliser.
• Organic products are also not always available. This is because organic farmers rely entirely on natural cycles. Floods, droughts and pest infestations can ruin the entire crop. Conventional farmers can artificially extend the natural seasonality of their fruits and vegetables, so that you get oranges in summer and avocado pears all year round.

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