Why Organic?

Throughout many posts in this blog, I’ve specified using organic foods and products during a cleanse as opposed to conventional.  Someone who is unfamiliar with organic foods may wonder why this is.  At this point in time, organic food is something just about everyone knows about, but there are many myths associated with organics that, for some, render its value questionable.  I am a proponent for eating organic and using products that are as close to organic as you can get, and in this entry I’d like to dispel some myths that surround organics and explain why eating organic is so important for detoxification.

Organic food is classified as food grown without use of conventional pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides; organic meat is raised free of antibiotics and artificial growth hormones.  Conventional pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, antibiotics and growth hormones stay inside whatever food or soil they’re sprayed on; when consumed, these substances stay within the body and have terrible long term effects.  It has been proven in many unfortunate instances that they contribute to cancer risk and other problems that lead to death.  Short term, these substances are extremely difficult for the body (especially the liver) to process.  Therefore, when trying to detoxify, it is very important to use organic foods and products so as to avoid the “one step forward, two steps back” effect of trying to remove toxic substances from the body while at the same time adding more in.

One myth surrounding organics is that they are too costly to buy on a regular basis.  Organic produce does cost more than conventional, but this is only at the point of sale.  Organic farmers don’t receive federal subsidies like conventional farmers do, and their work is far more labor-intensive although far more environmentally sustainable.  Normally we don’t take into account tax expenses such as environmental cleanups caused by pesticides when buying produce, but if you think about it how much tax money is spent on these causes, buying organic as opposed to conventional probably averages out in cost when these factors are considered.

While there isn’t necessarily solid evidence as of yet that proves organics are more nutrient-dense than conventional, it is argued by gourmet chefs all over the world that organic products taste better.  This fact alone should be motivation enough, especially when cleansing!