Going Organic:
we really are what we eat
By Marilyn Arthurs
These days there’s plenty of talk about going organic. But before you dismiss this as just another food fad, think again. Going organic really means eating the way nature intended, the way our ancestors did for generations before the modern machinations of the ‘food chain’ took over. Read on and find out why organic really is the way to go.
Anyone who has ever grown their own food, even if it was just a few beans, tomatoes or zucchini in the backyard, will know the satisfaction of harvesting your own produce and the fresh, healthy taste that goes along with it.
And if you’ve ever visited a local farm shop or a regional market in Spain, Italy or Greece, you’ll know that all vegetables do not look the same as the shiny, perfectly formed clones we’ve grown accustomed to seeing in our supermarkets. ‘Real’ food comes in all shapes, misshapes and sizes, and it’s time we got reacquainted with it.
Apart from the taste, freshness and natural appearance, there are many reasons why organic really is the way to go. In fact, in Canada, it’s not so much a question of ‘why’ as ‘why not.’ With such a richly varied terrain, we have the space and the conditions to grow so many varieties of fruit and vegetables, plus the space to allow our livestock to graze freely and healthily on untainted land and feed.
Also, despite some warm temperatures during the summer months, our climate is comparatively cooler than many other regions, which minimizes the threat of many pests and diseases.
And finally, with the general public being ever better informed about health and nutrition, consumer demand for organic food and farming is growing rapidly.
According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Canada’s organic industry grew by about 15% a year for about a decade. As a result, by 2003, the CFIA says, various industry sources valued the organic retail market between $800 million and $1.3 billion, with the value currently estimated at over $3 billion.
So what’s driving this phenomenal growth? While food trends and tastes are constantly changing and evolving, the interest in organic is being driven largely by changing consumer attitudes and lifestyles, as well as response to consumer demand from within the retail sector. This is one trend that’s gaining momentum throughout the population – from students to young families to working singles to ageing baby boomers.
And while inevitably some will regard going organic as the latest fad or fashion statement, others are consciously opting for organic as a lifestyle choice, a healthier alternative to conventional food consumption.
The growing interest in organic is global, and Canada is an increasingly enthusiastic participant. We know more today than ever before about the importance of a healthy diet,
of the harmful effect of pesticides and fertilizers on fruit and vegetables, as well as growth hormones and antibiotics on animals.
We now know that poultry raised in overcrowded conditions in which they rarely, if ever, see the light of day will be lower in nutrients and higher in fat.
We now know that if animals are being fed on a diet of hormones, antibiotics and feed full of pesticides, so are we.
We now know that no matter how carefully we wash some fruit and vegetables, some traces of fertilizers and pesticides will never disappear.
And we now know that some foods are treated with chemicals, colourants and preservatives to make them look fresher than they really are.
We really are what we eat, so isn’t it time to take more control over our own health and well-being by going organic?
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