The concept of nature has always captured my attention. In America, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not have an official definition of the word “natural”, when applied to food products.
The only rule the agency really uses is that it “does not object” to the use of the term “if the food does not contain added color, artificial flavors, or synthetic substances.
From a corporate standpoint, this is great for marketing… However, I can’t say the same for a consumer.
According to dictionary.com, the word natural refers to “existing in or derived from nature; not made or caused by humankind. Now, for example carrots contain a natural antiseptic… and to harmonize all this, you should well know that, there are many products labeled “natural” that actually aren’t.
Don’t Be fooled By fake food Labels, and false packaging of produce.
These are always marketing gimmicks targeting the unsuspecting consumer and luring them into buying average and harmful products.
Natural Vs Organic
Does “Natural and “Organic” mean the same thing? The answer is no. In the United States, neither the FDA nor the USDA has rules or regulations for products labeled “natural.”
It is a common assumption that natural foods are minimally processed and do not contain any antibiotics, hormones or artificial flavors.
“Most natural” or “healthy” food labels on your favorite foods are in fact a disguise in the making that you ought to be aware of!
Over 66% of consumers live under the unfortunate impression that the term “natural” actually means something, when in fact it is purely a marketing stunt which profits the elites in expense of you and I.
So in this excerpt, we are going to explore what you need to know about naturally organic foods and whether you need them, or not.
What does “organic” mean?
Organic simply means “no chemicals”. It describes the way agricultural products are grown and processed in the sense that, using artificial chemicals, synthetic pesticides, bioengineered genes, petroleum and sewage-based fertilizers in this aspect is entirely overlooked.
Organic Vs Inorganic
| Organically-grown Produce | Inorganically-grown Produce |
| Plants are grown with natural fertilizers i.e. manure | Chemical fertilizers are applied to promote plant growth |
| Uses mating disruptions or traps to reduce pest and diseases | Spray insecticides or pesticides to reduce pests and diseases |
| Weeds are managed and controlled naturally through crop rotation, till, and mulching | Weeds are managed by using chemical herbicides |
| Organically-raised meat, dairy and eggs | Inorganically-raised meat, dairy and eggs |
| Disease is prevented with natural methods like rotation grazing, giving animals organic feed | Animals are given antibiotics, growth hormones and medications to prevent disease |
| Animals are given access to outdoor movement | Animals might have limited or no outdoor movement |
Is Organic food any good?
I believe it is safe to say that we live in a world devoid of organic food.
90% of the time when we hit the stores or markets, we are presented with synthetic foods.
And whenever we try and buy a natural-labeled product, chances are it is filled with genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and other chemicals which are definitely not good for our long-term health.
Let’s look at some of the biggest advantages of Organic foods
- Pesticides: Organic food growers do not use pesticides to protect their crops from insects. According to the USDA, organic produce carries significantly fewer pesticide residues than does conventional produce which poses very little health risk.
- In addition, no pesticides, chemicals, or processed additives storming your system mean a smaller risk of disease and other health disorders. Nothing leaves you feeling tired, overweight, foggy and gross like unhealthy junk food.
- Food Additives: Organic regulations ban or severely restrict the use of food additives, processing aids and fortifying agents commonly used in non-organic foods, including preservatives, artificial sweeteners, colorings and flavorings, and monosodium glutamate (MSG). This gives the consumer a more natural, healthy and fresh taste feel.
- Taste: Some people say they can taste the difference between organic and non-organic food. Others say they find no difference. Taste is a subjective and personal consideration. If you are accustomed to the addictive qualities of junk food however, it might take you some time to get on board but after some time of your body experiencing truly fresh and healthy food, you will be craving for it.
- Environment: Some people buy organic food for environmental reasons. Organic farming practices are designed to benefit the environment by reducing pollution and conserving water and soil quality.
GMOs and Pesticides
As the health fanatic, I’m pro environment, pro natural health, anti-GMO and anti-pesticides.
In order for us to get acquainted with what we consider organic and non-organic or conventional produce, we have to understand what genetically modified organisms (GMOs) present in our food are, as well as pesticides.
Some people say that rinsing and peeling helps get rid of pesticides but that isn’t entirely true.
If it isn’t safe to breathe, then how is it safe to eat?
Lets for example look at the lifetime of a potato. From the day of its germination, it has been subject to countless sprays of insecticides, pesticides.
The World Health Organization announced that chemicals present in pesticides are probably carcinogenic to humans and there is still a lot of controversy over the level of healthy risks posed by the administration of pesticides and their presence in the food we consume.
GMOs are bioengineered to make produce resistant to pests or have the ability to produce an insecticide. Other scientists claim that GMOs modify the genetics of produce, defying it from developing rather naturally, having ability to grow much faster and resistant to natural causes of produce depreciation.
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
GMOs are common in foods processed mainly in Europe and they are 95% present in crops like soya beans, papaya, mangoes, canola and zucchini. It is almost impossible to escape GMOs as they are also common in a lot of cereals we consume for breakfast and much of processed and packed food we eat.
So are GMOs safe?
There has not been any known or documented study confirmed about the use and effects of GMOs in food although the FDA and biotech companies that create them insist that they are safe.
However, some animal studies have indicated that consuming GMOs can cause slowed brain growth or response, damage internal organs, thicken the digestive system and cause intestinal problems.
Since GMOs are engineered to alter the DNA of the plant, many people think that by doing so, it raises the same risk in humans and can cause cancer too.
However even though these claims are yet to be considered legit and the research inconclusive, I for one will not take any chances and neither should you!
Do organic foods contain GMOs and Pesticides?
Contrary to popular belief, Organic farmers do indeed use pesticides. However, they use naturally made pesticides, rather than synthetic pesticides popular among non-organic farms.
Naturally derived pesticides have fewer toxins. So does that mean its entirely safe? Not quite but exposure to more harmful pesticides is avoided here. There isn’t any chance though, that organic products contain GMOs.
The object of organic food isn’t just because it’s grown naturally with fewer or no chemicals.
In fact as mentioned above, organic foods aren’t 100% pesticide-free as naturally derived pesticides. Well, this can have some health risks associated with it.
Health cons of Pesticides
Pesticides are used to kill vectors of disease, such as mosquitoes, and in agriculture, to kill pests that damage crops and animals. By their nature, pesticides are potentially toxic to other organisms, including humans.
Here are some of the dangerous health cons of pesticides.
Acute health problems may occur in workers that handle pesticides, such as abdominal pain, dizziness, headaches, nausea, vomiting, as well as skin and eye problems.
In China, an estimated half million people are poisoned by pesticides each year, 500 of whom die. The presence of these dangerous chemicals in our food could turn fatal if consumed on a regular basis.
Long-term Effects
- Cancer
Many studies have examined the effects of pesticide exposure and long term consumption in foods on the risk of cancer. Increased rates of cancer have been found among farm workers who administer the spraying. The consumer of foods sprayed constantly with such chemicals is at risk too.
- Reproductive Effects
A mother’s occupational exposure to pesticides during pregnancy is associated with increases in her child’s risk of leukemia, wilm’s tumor and brain cancer. Exposure at an early age may cause developmental delays, stunted growth and immune system degradation
- Fertility
A number of pesticides such as dibromochlorophane have been linked to impaired fertility in males. Also included is genetic alterations in sperm, a reduced number of sperm, damage to germinal epithelium and altered hormone function.
For more information and further study, about GMOs and Pesticides, check out this short video
Shopping for organic foods
It is commonly said that organic produce often costs more than non-organic due to expensive farming practices, tighter government regulations and lower crop yields.
However, it is possible to purchase organic produce and stay within your food budget if you set your priorities right.
Below are some of the ways to save when dealing with shopping organic foods
- Buy your favorite. Choose one of your favorite food items that you buy regularly and commit to buying the organic version of it from now on. This will greatly reduce you and your family’s exposure to pesticides, GMOs and antibiotics.
- Explore. Shop around and check out the organic food sections of your market and compare prices at the grocery store to get to know which products you’ll be buying on a regular basis, cheaply.
- Buy in bulk and in season. Look out for stores that stock organic foods in bulk grains and cereals.
This can help keep your spending down. Also, fruits and vegetables are cheapest and freshest when it’s “the” season. This helps cut costs with organic foods.
- Join a local cooperative grocery store. This is usually a group of members who pay a certain membership fee, yearly or monthly. It’s highly beneficial as such stores offer its members lower prices and huge discounts on organic foods.
Going naturally organic with CBD
Cannabiodiol (CBD) is a naturally derived extract which has its major health focus on skincare health and general well-being, among other benefits. Read testimonials here.
First of all, when someone is introduced to the idea of cannabis, they immediately disconnect, unless of course they are dealing.
However, the issue here isn’t to get in touch with the cartel, but to spread the gospel of the medical benefits and healing properties of cannabis, which is now well processed naturally, and organically as CBD.
Even though cannabis has been a victim of bad reputation worldwide over the years, there is a reason as to why it has been legalized in many states in the U.S
Michigan became the 10th state to legalize recreational cannabis during last year’s midterm elections. Utah and Missouri both voted to legalize medical marijuana.
Recreational marijuana is now legal in 10 states; medical marijuana is legal in 33.
While some people are still skeptical of this, did you know that obesity rates are now at an all-time high making it more deadly than smoking tobacco. My point being, people are fast to condemn when you roll out a cigarette to smoke but won’t bother when I rack up a box of snickers or a bar of chocolate.
Am I encouraging smoking? Not at all. Smoking also has it’s own downsides but by setting proprieties, cannabis has more health benefits than smoking tobacco and eating snickers combined!
Anyhow most experts have come out from time to time to claim that you can’t die from cannabis alone.
David Schmader, author of “Weed: The User’s Guide,” spoke with experts and crunched the numbers on how much bud it would take to kill someone.
“Even aspirin can kill you if you take too much, but a fatal dose of marijuana would require ingestion of fifteen hundred pounds in fifteen minutes!
Now I’m not talking about a pure recreational kind of cannabis here. Even though CBD has these kinds of canabis roots, it is extracted organically for specifically health living and medical benefits through various high quality products.
For example, the new CBD hemp oil is currently dictating the future of healthy living by impressively fighting well known health hazards.
Therapeutic Benefits of Hemp Oil/Extract
CBD’s Hemp Oil is medically proven and organically gown & extracted in the USA. Below are some of it’s benefits;
- Relieves anxiety and stress
- Reduces chronic pain and aches
- Enhances focus and clarity
- Promotes healthy sleep
- Healthy inflammatory response
Other medical benefits of Hemp Oil include fighting nausea, rheumatoid arthritis, schizophrenia, diabetes, PTSD, alcoholism, strokes and cardiovascular disease, and other ailments. To learn more about this, click here
CBD BioCare is also famous for harbouring dedicated skincare infused products accompanied with natural anti-aging and medicinal properties. Also available are more CBD products directed to pets.
To learn more about the resounding effects and health benefits of CBD products and their organic nature, click here.
For any questions or inquires about CBD products, please don’t hesitate to reach out or leave a comment below for suggestions and personal experiences. Thank you!
