Organic and non organic is a very heated debate among the health community. It is no secret that pesticides are used on our produce, but how bad could that be? The differences between organic and non organic food really aren’t that different, but lets break down all the argument points for each.
Whats The Deal With Organic Vegetables?
1. What Is Organic?
In order for something to be classified as “organic” it must meet certain standards. The practices used to cultivate the food must help to recycle resources and conserve biodiversity. The use of chemicals is not allowed, such as pesticides and food additives. The exact specifications of organic foods vary in each country, but many require the producers to be certified organic.
2. Benefits
The biggest benefit of organic vegetables is that there are no chemicals used in the growing or processing of them. The exact consequences of these pesticides and additives aren’t fully understood just yet, but better safe than sorry right?
3. What You Should Buy
Some vegetables contain a larger amount of pesticides than others. These vegetables are the ones that should be bought organic if you are thinking of buying organic foods.
Celery
Spinach
Potatoes
Bell Peppers
Non Organic Vegetables
1. Are they Dangerous?
Non organic vegetables are ones that have been treated with chemicals. Pesticides, chemically enhanced soil, and growth hormones can all be used in the growth and production. No studies have confirmed one way or the other if these vegetables are necessarily “dangerous” to consume.
2. Chemicals
There is an increasingly long list of chemicals that have been approved for use in vegetable crops. Each of these chemicals serve a different purpose, most to kill off certain insects. Some of the most commonly used, that are identified as “poison” are lannate, used to kill caterpillars. Dimethoate 4EC is used to kill aphids and leafhoppers on many lettucey vegetables. Endosulfan, for beetles and caterpillars of squash and potatoes. These are just a few of the pesticides commonly used.
3. Still Nutritious
Just because a vegetable is not classified as organic does not mean it doesn’t still have the nutrients that organic ones do. These vegetables are still considered completely safe for consumption, and still provide all of the vitamins and minerals that the vegetable contains.
Differences Between Organic and Non Organic Vegetables
1.Cost
The cost of organic vegetables is significantly higher than the cost of regular vegetables. This is the main reason not many people opt for the organic options. Prices are as much as 50 percent higher for organic vegetables of the same weight and quantity.
2. Chemicals
The main, and most important, difference between organic and non organic vegetables is the presence of chemicals. The long term effect of these common chemicals are not entirely known but as of today these chemicals have been classified as safe for human consumption. Just make sure you wash your vegetables, organic or not, thoroughly before consuming!