Is it worth paying more for organic food?

The increase in demand for organic foods continues as sales increase year on year for eight years, rising another 4.5% in 2019. People are caring more about the environment today and of the importance of organic produce. They now know how these foods are grown as well as produced. To make it clear, organic food does not incorporate synthetic fertilizers nor pesticides. Hence, they have more nutrients compared to those grown inorganically and cause less pollution to the environment.

Some people wonder whether the price of organic food is fair. Organic produce is costly.  It does cost more and for some people that cost is unattainable, but if you are able to afford organic food then should you buy it? Is it a worthwhile investment?

If you care about the planet, wildlife and your own health then yes, it is worth the extra cost.  This article discusses some of the reasons why investing in organic produce is worth it. 

Benefits of investing in organic foods

The main benefit of investing in organic food is the reduction in the use of chemicals used to grow crops.  Food that is not organic is grown with numerous synthetic, chemical fertilizers and pesticides that are dangerous to our health when we eat the food, but also are washed off into the environment polluting our water supplies, soil and air.

More people now understand the implications associated with some of the chemicals used to grow crops. For that reason, organic food is a worthwhile investment as it’s healthier and safer to consume.

Cheap food often comes at another price.  It might not be expensive to buy, but it can cost our health.  Eating a piece of non-organic fruit that contains traces of chemicals might not instantly cause harm, but over years and years of eating and accumulating these chemicals in our bodies, they might cause harm.

One reason organic produce is expensive is that organic farmers do not use shortcuts to grow them.  They are grown naturally using more natural growing methods which can take longer and therefore costs us more to buy.  We are investing in better farming methods which are better for wildlife, the soil and the water when we choose organic.

More nutrients are also retained in food grown more naturally, when they’re not doused in harmful chemicals.  The plants can fight for themselves to protect themselves from pests which make them produce more antioxidants which boosts the nutrients we then consume.  It’s a win-win for the environment and our own health!  Organic food gives us more vitamins and minerals per portion than non-organic.

Importance of choosing organic for the environment

If you care about the environment then choosing to invest in organic is a no-brainer.  Organic foods are the sustainable choice when it comes to farming and the environment.  Proper organic farming is done in a way that cares for the environment encouraging natural hedgerows brimming with wildlife to separate their fields rather than fences.

They use crop rotation methods to let the land recover rather than over farming the same land with the same crop until the soil is totally nutrient deficient. The importance of crop rotation is improving the nutrients level in the soil.

Organic farming uses natural pesticides and fertilizers which reduces the chemical pollution from synthetic pesticides, fungicides and the like.

Every year 3.6 million tonnes of sewage sludge is reprocessed and spread onto agricultural land across the UK - BBC News

At the present time, organic produce does not use sewage sludge as fertilizer under EU rules. Organic farmers discourage the use of this due to health-related issues. The use of sewage sludge can add some dangerous metals into the soil. For instance, they contain flame retardants, pharmaceuticals, carcinogenic polycyclic hydrocarbons, and so on. All of which contribute a lot to cancer and other dangerous health problems. When these heavy metals get into the crop, they build up—thus keeping the consumer’s health at risk. For that reason, organic produce is the only safe food to invest in to save lives.

Final word

Whether you care about your health, wildlife, the environment or all three, organic produce is an investment that is absolutely worth it.

Buying cheap food might even be feeding poverty!