Organic Foods vs. Non-organic Foods

555 Words2 Pages

Taking a trip to the grocery store proves to be a tedious and challenging task when multitudes of produce, meats, and dairy products contain certain descriptions and statements of being healthy, natural, and most importantly organic. Without having knowledge of what these labels mean and if their claims are actually true and worth buying, grocery shopping becomes a demanding undertaking. Organic simply means that no man-made fertilizers are used when growing and producing food. (Curtis). The organic food on the market claims to be healthier, safer, and overall better than conventionally grown foods, but this statement proves false. Despite popular belief, organic farming has similar qualities with, and does not provide any great advantages or disadvantages over conventional farming.
Any type of production methods in use has setbacks: this is also the case for conventional and organic farming. The disadvantages of organic farming involve expensive price tags and short shelf life. The prices of organic food are burdensomely more expensive than the prices of conventional food. Also, merely days after a person purchased his or her organic groceries; the foods have already begun to spoil due to the absence of preservatives in the foods (“Natural and Organic Food”). The disadvantages of conventional farming incorporate foods having a greater level of pesticides present and chances of food-borne illnesses because of the chemicals used in the growing process. The effect of pesticides on human health can include the minor side effects of headaches, nausea, and can increase to the prolonged effects of cancer and reproductive damage (“The Benefits of Organic Food”). However, if one proceeds with caution by researching the foods he or she...

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...nventional and organic farming is present in the use of pesticides.

Works Cited

Marcus, Mary Brophy. “Organic Foods Offer Peace Of Mind—At A Price.” U.S. News & World Report 130.2 (2001): 48. Academic Search Complete. Web. 21 Nov. 2013
Smith-Spangler, Crystal, et al. "Are Organic Foods Safer Or Healthier Than Conventional Alternatives?." Annals Of Internal Medicine 157.5 (2012): 348-366. Academic Search Complete. Web. 21 Nov. 2013.
Curtis, C. S., and S. Misner. "Pesticide Versus Organically Grown Food." Ag.arizona.edu. The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Department of Nutritional Sciences. Document Located at Http://ag.ariz, 2006. Web. 7 Dec. 2013.
"The Benefits of Organic Food." Nrdc.org. Natural Resources Defense Council, 11 Sept. 2009. Web. 16 Nov. 2013.
"Natural and Organic Foods." Fmi.org. 2013 Food Marketing Institute, n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2013.

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