Firstly, I'll start with the one reason why I was not purchasing as much organic food as I would have liked - in fact organic food would have only comprised of 4-6% of my diet. The reason is expense.
To me, at the time, organic food was not quite worth it.
I have now changed my mind and I am prepared and even enthusiastic about bringing much more organic into my diet.
This is because it became clear to me, that organic food aligns with my desires for a healthier life-style, a healthier environment, improved animal / wildlife welfare & ideally a tastier eating experience!
Better Health
With no use of herbicides, pesticides and fertilisers, I feel that this will make a big improvement to our health. I don't trust big corporation and I don't trust government to put my health into their hands. I do feel we should do more to protect our health, rather than protect the bottom line of corporate profit.
It may be worth looking at 'the diary dozen'. Foods which are likely to be contaminated with pesticides at a higher rate. These include, strawberries, apples and grapes.
The 'clean fifteen' the least pesticide contaminated foods include avocados, pineapples and onions.
Improved Conditions for Animals
Animals and wildlife will be exposed to less chemicals. Organic farms also do a much better job of preserving animal habitats. On farms there are also stricter regulations for animals raised to be eaten, therefore they are more likely to have more space to roam etc, though of course animals and their produce are better left off our plate.
Environmental Benefits
Organic farming relies on more sustainable and natural practices, which are better for water and river health, better for the soil and promotes biodiversity.
Taste
I'm not sure if organic food tastes better, but I think it does!
Why Organic Food Has It's Set Of Problems
There are reasons why organic food isn't perfect. As mentioned, it simply is a lot more expensive and for many, it is unaffordable. This may also be because there is less government subsidy available for organic growers in various forms.
At the moment, there isn't enough demand to make it widely available. Looking at the what supermarkets offer, they all offer a pretty small variety.
It's also more difficult to produce organic food on as big a scale as non-organic.
A More Organic Future, 2023 and On
I will aim to eat much more organic food from now on. I have a box a fruit and veg box delivered weekly but I accept that not everything I eat will be organic and I'm fine with that.
I will make changes to what I eat, so that I do not see my weekly food spend increase too much. For example I may eat more porridge oats, potatoes and other lower costs foods.
Overall, the positives are too high to ignore and I am willing to pull back on expenses elsewhere to be able to spend more on organic eating and a way of living that aligns with my values.
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