Is non-organic food bad for health?

Non-organic food contains synthetic chemicals, mostly pesticides and fertilizers, used to grow vegetables, fruits or crops. These products can also be genetically modified.

For most people, organic ones are safer, healthy and tasty, but they are usually very expensive. So you might think of going for non-organic food choices. But are they safe for you, and do they have the same quantity of nutrients, vitamins and minerals as the additive-free ones?

It's important to make healthy choices when it comes to our diet and health, so let's find out about non-organic foods.

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Understanding non-organic food

Non-organic foods have chemicals and fertilizers (Image by Zoe Schaeffer/Unsplash)

Crops that are yielded using fertilizers, chemicals, pesticides and insecticides are considered to be non-organic.

The chemicals stop the yield from getting infected when they are sprayed or injected into them, so there's less wastage and more supply in the market. They can cause health problems, though, when we consume them and are, therefore, not always safe to eat.

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Understanding organic food

Is Organic necessarily healthy? (Image by Bethany Szentesi/Unsplash)

Organic means natural and non-chemical. The process by which these foods are yielded does not involve any genetic modification, artificial chemicals, pesticides, hormones, etc. Eggs, meat and other dairy items can be organic.

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Is non-organic food unhealthy?

Does non-organic mean bad? (Image by Tom Brunberg/Unsplash)

No, they are not necessarily so, as they have the same amount of nutrients and minerals. You get carbs, fat, protein and fiber from them.

In case you’re worried about insecticides and pesticides, you can wash your vegetables with cold water before you consume or cook them. That will remove all the harmful reside. You can also peel the skin or remove the outer layer of fruits before consuming them safely.

Eliminating them altogether from your everyday intake is more dangerous than not having them, just because they have additives. All kinds of leafy greens, vegetables, fruits, nuts and other foods have a lot of health benefits.

They help the body to grow, muscles to function better and have a healthy heart. So, do not stop eating what you already have, even if it's labeled as non-organic.

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Is organic food better?

Yes, it can be slightly better, but you will not get it always, as the produce is less, which makes it expensive. You can try to grow your own at home or source it from the local farmers market, in case you want to switch to a diet with just organic produce.

Grow your own at home and enjoy your healthy produce (Image by Jed Owen/Unsplash)

However, not all of them are nutritious, as they can have extra salt, fats and sugar added to them. So, they can come under empty calorie foods.

Therefore, always look for the food labels while buying them. Check if they are 100% organic (completely made from organic ingredients). Just organic means 90-95% is pesticide free or natural. The rest is made with natural ingredients (meaning 70-72% is organic, while the rest has chemicals and additives).

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Organic products to buy

• Carrot
• Apples
• Eggs
• Grapes
• Meat
• Nuts
• Potatoes
• Strawberries
• Green vegetables and more

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Non-organic foods

You can consume non-organic fruits after peeling the outer layer. (Image by Julia Zolotova/Unsplash)

• Bananas
• Onions
• Limes
• Watermelon
• Avocados
• Cabbage
• Oranges and more

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Choosing between the two is solely on your personal preferences and financial state. If you want to limit your exposure to unhealthy chemicals, pesticides, fertilizers and herbicides, you can go for the natural ones.

However, if you have a low budget and can compromise slightly on taste, nutrition and health, you can always opt for the non-organic type.