It is a large and broad question which is seemingly continuously posed: what is organic food, and is it “better” for you than other food? While for many the obvious choice appears to be organic food, there are many more who believe non-organic food is just as good or even better for consumption. There are many research papers, studies, and journals that have been published which come to support of both sides of the argument. As there is no conclusive answer, further research is still necessary. Before discussing the differences between organic and non-organic food, it must be determined what exactly makes food organic. Organic agriculture consists of many practices that emphasize farming based on ecosystem management, integrated cropping and livestock systems, diversity of products, reliance on natural pest and disease control without the use of chemical inputs. “The principal objectives of organic agriculture are to produce healthy and sustainable food only using biological and ecological processes” (Bernacchia, R.). Essentially, organic food is food (whether plant or animal) that is raised or produced without the use of added chemicals (ex. Pesticides or fertilizers). Organic foods also lack heavy metal residues as they are more heavily regulated than non-organic foods (Bernacchia,
A short and concise answer would be yes. Consuming food which has been sprayed by pesticides is a large area of concern, as the intake of pesticides could lead to multiple health issues from simple colds to breast cancer. Another factor to take into c,onsideration is the possible chance of added nutrients in organic food. A study found that “switching to organic fruit and vegetables could give the same benefits as adding one or two portions of the recommended "five a day".” (Barański, M.). The reason for that is the seemingly higher amount of nutrients in the organic fruit, such as antioxidants and