Staying healthy in this fast-paced world can sometimes prove to be challenging. We spend a huge portion of our time trying to be successful, without paying too much attention to our own body and mind. One thing that we can and should do to contribute to our overall wellbeing is eating healthy food.
And even though we’re aware that some things we eat are better than others, we aren’t always certain what it is about them that makes the difference. For instance, we know that organic food is good for us, but do we know what organic food actually is? Why should we eat it and how do we make it a part of our regular menu? Here are some answers to these and similar questions.
What exactly is organic food?
When you talk about organic food, you’re actually referring to how the food is produced. It starts with farming, which is done by completely avoiding antibiotics, hormones or artificial chemicals. Those who want to grow organic fruit or vegetables do so using natural fertilizers, while meat is considered organic if the animals weren’t given any hormones or antibiotics whatsoever. Furthermore, organic food can’t contain any artificial additives, which means various preservatives or anything that’s used to color or give flavor to the food.
It’s also important to point out that genetically modified organisms can in no case be labeled as organic. The key is to treat the land only with natural fertilizers and to maintain the soil or water used for farming unpolluted. Some of the most common organic products are fresh or dried fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy products and grains, but also those products which you can get from processing the ones already mentioned. For example, you can now find organic juice, jam or even cookies.
Where can you buy it?
With the growing demand for organic food, more and more businesses go out of their way to offer it to their customers. For instance, you can visit one of the farms near you and buy certain types of food directly from those growing them, or you can do the same by going to your local farmers’ market. However, you can also find whole isles of organic food in most well-stocked supermarkets. Of course, there are those people who simply can’t spare the time to go shopping for their organic food as often as necessary.
Luckily, this hasn’t been a problem for a while now, as there are some great online stores where you can find organic whole foods and have them brought right to your front door, sometimes even with free delivery. You can actually order anything, from beans, cereals and honey to flour, pasta and even spreads and snacks. The best websites also offer food for those who are on keto diet, those who are vegetarian or vegan, or those who only want gluten-free, dairy-free or nut-free food.
How do you choose the best organic food?
Organic food, just like any other type, is generally the healthiest when fresh, which is why you should always try to buy seasonal food, and straight from the source, which usually means the farmers. Seasonal and locally-grown produce tends to be cheaper than something imported, and will most likely last longer, since it didn’t have to travel long distances to get from where it was grown to your kitchen. In addition, you can consider talking to your friends and family who have been eating organic food for a while and who have already found trustworthy suppliers of such products.
If not, you can go and try buying from different people and places, so that you can see for yourself what you liked best and where you can get the optimal value for your money. Furthermore, it’s essential that you can read the labels on anything you buy, so that you know precisely what it was made of and if anything was added to your food that you simply don’t want to eat. In most cases, packaged organic products will have a seal to prove they’ve been certified organic. Fruit and vegetables normally have a sticker with a PLU code, a product lookup code, which lets you learn just how the food you want to buy was produced.
Finally, if you have any questions, you can ask either the farmer you’re purchasing the food from, or the people at your local store or supermarket. It’s your right to know what you’re spending your money on, so don’t be shy or hesitant to ask for any information you need.
Nurturing your body with healthy food and regular exercise should be your priority, so do your best to eat as much fresh food as you can and bear in mind that organic food is probably the best choice for you and your family.
