What You Need to Know About Organic Foods
Our mission for the SmartBox blog is to assist you navigating an overly-saturated and often misrepresented health & wellness market. We promise to put the answers of complicated questions into easily understood terms, so that you have the resources you need in one place.
Eating organic food has become very popular. But navigating the maze of organic food labels, benefits, and claims can be confusing. Is organic food really better for your mental and physical health? Do GMOs and pesticides cause cancer and other diseases? What do all the labels mean? For this post, we’d like to guide you in making better choices about shopping organic, including what to focus on and how to make eating organic more affordable.
Why choose organic over conventional foods? Well, how your food is grown or raised can have a major impact on your mental and emotional health, as well as the environment. Organic foods often have more beneficial nutrients than their conventionally-grown counterparts and people with allergies to foods, chemicals, or preservatives often find their symptoms lessen or go away when they eat only organic foods.
Organic produce contains fewer pesticides
Chemicals such as fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides are widely used in conventional agriculture and residues remain on (and in) the food we eat. These residuals can cause a number of imbalances and health problems such respiratory problems, cancer, depression, anxiety and more.
Organic food is often fresher
Organic food doesn’t contain preservatives that make it last longer. Organic produce is often (but not always, so watch where it is from) produced on smaller farms near where it is sold. So by eating organic not only are you helping yourself, but you’re shopping and supporting local! An easy way to connect with local farms is to use this tool here.
Organic farming is better for the environment
Many changes observed in the environment are long term, occurring slowly over time. Organic agriculture considers the medium- and long-term effect of agricultural interventions on the ecosystem. It aims to produce food while establishing an ecological balance to prevent soil fertility or pest problems. Organic agriculture takes a proactive approach as opposed to treating problems after they emerge. Organic farming practices reduces pollution, conserves water, reduces soil erosion, increases soil fertility, and uses less energy.
Organically raised animals are NOT given antibiotics, growth hormones, or fed animal byproducts
Feeding livestock animal byproducts increases the risk of mad cow disease (BSE) and the use of antibiotics can create antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. Organically-raised animals are given more space to move around and access to the outdoors, which help to keep them healthy.
SmartBox Company only partners with brands that share the values listed above. We make it easy and affordable to help your organization get healthy, and enjoy doing so by providing a diverse product and service line. Try out your first box today to start your journey in mindful snacking.