What is organic?

From packaged tea to fresh produce to frozen dinners, consumers can now choose more and more organic foods. But what is organic, and why should we care?

It is believed that improving soil conditions will provide a sustainable agricultural solution to produce better-tasting and nutritious foods.

1. Organic helps to save and protect the environment.

Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the protection of water and soil to improve the environmental quality of future generations.

Synthetic pesticides and chemicals used in traditional cultivation methods are transferred to groundwater and may pollute the water of nearby streams, rivers and lakes. They can also leach soil nutrients, destroy soil structure and make soil vulnerable to erosion.

However, organic practices that use natural and renewable resources (such as manure, compost, plant cuttings, and mulch) to feed and protect plants and soil can increase the soil’s ability to retain nutrients and improve soil structure over time, thereby creating A healthy and sustainable ecosystem looks in the long run.

2. Organic does not contain synthetic pesticides and chemicals.

The production of organic food does not use most traditional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation.

Traditional non-organic growers use synthetic pesticides to manage pests and diseases and use chemical fertilizers to feed the plants. These pesticides and chemicals leave residues on (and in) plants, which plant workers may be exposed to and may ingest these residues when eating plants.

Organic plants carry much less pesticide residues than traditional plants. This is because organic growers feed plants and soil with natural fertilizers (such as manure or compost), and use natural pesticides and beneficial insects to help control pests and diseases.

3. The organic taste is better.

Because they are not protected by insecticides, organic plants that are attacked by insects can accumulate higher levels of flavor chemicals and other protective molecules, including antioxidants.

The aroma and flavor of plants come from phytochemicals stored by plants to protect themselves from invaders such as microorganisms and insects. Organic plants that are not protected by pesticides tend to accumulate higher levels of these flavor-producing phytochemicals to protect themselves from natural enemies.

Organic plants are usually allowed to bloom and mature at their own natural rate, rather than using chemical feed to accelerate harvest, so they have time to develop more natural sugars and other compounds that contribute to the final flavor of the plant.

Organic crops benefit from a more nutritious soil, so the plants are better nourished and fed.