Dear Reader,

As Americans become more and more savvy about natural ways to boost health and wellness, the organic food industry is enjoying unprecedented growth. According to the Organic Farming Research Foundation there are more than 11,000 certified organic producers in the U.S. today compared to 2500 in 1999.  About 70 percent of Americans buy organic food occasionally and nearly one quarter buy it every week, according to a recent survey conducted by the Hartman Group. 

While some buy organic to support its environmentally friendly practices, most are trying to cut their exposure to chemicals in the foods they eat. Studies have linked pesticides in our food to a host of health problems including headaches, miscarriage, birth defects, nervous system disorders and asthma. According to the National Academy of Sciences, chemical pesticides have the potential to cause an additional 1.4 million cases of cancer in this generation of Americans. 

To classify as organic, a food must have been grown without the use of harmful synthetic chemical pesticides and fertilizers and must be produced on a farmland that has been free of such chemicals for at least three years. Feeding the soil with organic matter instead of ammonia and other synthetic fertilizers has been proven to increase the nutrients in produce, resulting in foods with higher levels of vitamins and minerals. A study conducted at Rutgers University concluded that, on average, organically grown foods have an 87 percent higher concentration of magnesium, potassium, iron and copper. Organic tomatoes were found to yield 500 percent more calcium than conventionally produced tomatoes.

Organic foods generally cost more but they are well worth the extra money because of the higher nutritional value. Organic farmers don’t receive federal subsidies like traditional farmers; therefore the price of organic food reflects the true cost of growing. Organic farms tend to be smaller and more labor intensive. (Bear in mind that the price of conventional food does not reflect the cost of environmental cleanups that we pay for through our tax dollars.) 

Locally grown organic food is superior in terms of taste and freshness. Most produce in the U.S.  is picked up four to seven days before being placed on supermarket shelves, and is shipped from an average distance of 1500 miles before being sold. (And this applies only to U.S. grown produce. Much produce is imported from Mexico, Asia, Canada, South America and other countries.) Do some research to find out where you can find locally grown produce in your area and resolve to eat more seasonably by supporting your local organic farmers market all year round.  Buying from your local farmers market has the added benefit of contributing to a sense of community.