Organic food is taking center stage. One of the largest food market chains in the world, Kroger claims that their fastest growing segment is organics. Telling statistics from the OTA, Organic Market Analysis, is showing double-digit sales growth from just last year. The message is reaching more people than ever before and has made organics the fastest growing sector within the food industry. The clear message more consumers are sending is; we don’t want chemical ridden, genetically modified, fake food.
Only a few short years ago, we were hard pressed to find organic produce without growing our own or joining a local Co-op. Notably, the Co-op supplied food may have been organic, but it was often sad looking from having spent more than its allotted time in the trunk of the well-intended neighbor. Folks armed with their own bags and baskets would sometimes hook up with a party bus rental to drive them to rural organic growers so they could pick their own vegetables.
Things have changed.
People want healthy choices and their voices have been heard through their buying habits and requests. No more ignoring the facts when the consumer market is what runs the show. We no longer want to be deprived of the convenience of having pure, unadulterated food available at our local supermarkets.
Sure, we are still suckers for the convenience of fast food when we are on the run, but as a whole, we are getting better educated to the health benefits of eating like our grandparents ate. Many of those fast food joints are hearing our voices, as well. Qdoba’s is one major chain that serves the discerning foodie.
We find ourselves making healthier choices more often, but don’t be fooled just because a food is organic, mindful eating is still important to any intake. Calories still run high and being healthy doesn’t necessarily mean you can eat more.
The rug has been pulled out from under the massive chemical companies which produce the hundreds of thousands of unhealthy options. Dow Chemical and Monsanto are relying heavily on underdeveloped countries to meet their bottom line since it appears the people who can choose have spoken their preference for non-chemical laden non-GMO foods.
What’s the big deal, why eat organic?
Studies of conventional methods that use pesticides and fertilizers on non-organic crops are known carcinogens and have been linked to different cancers. The number of unnatural chemicals sprayed on our crops varies, but heavy metals have been detected in all the non-organic food supply. Lead, cadmium and mercury are just three that have been associated with liver, kidney cancers. Metals are especially tough since they are not eliminated from the body. For example, mercury never leaves the body and cannot pass through the blood-brain barrier and therefore accumulates in brain tissue. It is highly suspect as a contributor to Alzheimer’s and other cognitive disorder.
It’s not a stretch to put unexplained poor health conditions together with the food we eat. “You are what you eat.” Although the FDA in the US has authorized parts per billion of the number of chemicals we ingest as a safety perimeter, accumulation within the body over time has shown to have dire effects. In this writer’s opinion, it’s better to play it safe than sorry, and apparently, I’m not alone.
Are you eating organic? Too expensive? The price is coming down as more farmers are seeing the financial benefits. The large food chain suppliers are making more room for the burgeoning marketplace they see exploding upon demand. The future is bright for all countries as the domino effect reaches critical mass and healthy, wholesome foods reign supreme.
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