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Is Organic Really Better? Easily Explained

Consumers are still asking themselves whether organic is really better. The trend towards organic, sustainable food continues to grow. Organic food can be a better choice if you keep a few things in mind.

Organic is really better

Organic foods are products that are produced ecologically and in an environmentally friendly manner. There are legal requirements for this, which stipulate which fertilizers, pesticides, animal feed and additives are permitted in which permitted quantities. That is the big difference to conventional food. These arguments speak in favor of buying an organic product:

  • Organic products are better for our environment, contain no chemical-synthetic pesticides and are GMO-free.
  • Organic farms support social justice – this leads to a higher income in developing countries, since the prices for goods can be set higher than the world market price.
  • Species-appropriate animal husbandry is possible, which often cannot be carried out in conventional farms. There is no factory farming. The needs of the animals can be lived out. They also get natural food. The preventive use of antibiotics and hormones is prohibited.
  • According to the Baden-Württemberg Veterinary Inspection Office, organically grown fruit and vegetables contain about fifty times less pesticides. Conventional fruit and vegetables are significantly more contaminated with agricultural toxins and nitrates and therefore contain fewer minerals and vitamins as part of the diet.
  • Organic products have a better and more intense taste.

Organic is of higher quality – if it says organic, it means organic

You have probably asked yourself in the supermarket what each organic seal stands for and which seal you can trust. Discounters sometimes offer cheaper organic products than in the organic market, which confuses the consumer. In principle, everything that has an organic seal in the supermarket meets the minimum legal requirements, even with so-called organic own brands in retail. There are only differences in the additional seals. Nevertheless, it makes sense not to use the price as a purchase criterion.

  • Many cheap organic products are not necessarily better due to industrialization and fail tests.
  • Many animal feeds are not produced locally, and therefore there are no energy savings.
  • Organic products are twice as expensive. Among other things, because the harvests are smaller, cultivation methods are more complex and high-quality ingredients are used. A small vegetable shop has different and much more complex logistics and follow-up costs than a discounter.
  • Labels are only credible if they say “organic”, “organic”, “organic” or “eco”. This gives you the guarantee that 95 percent of a product has been produced in accordance with the EC Organic Regulation.

The organic farming associations

If the whole thing is too uncertain for you, you can fall back on the ecological cultivation associations, which have their own cultivation seal. This ensures that these foods have to meet even more stringent guidelines from this association. For example, the EC Organic Regulation allows 45 additives in its products, while the Demeter Association only allows 20 additional substances. The products of the cultivation associations are more expensive and are offered on a large scale mainly in organic shops.

Quality differences in food

Some consumers wonder if there is a big difference in conventionally raised food compared to organic food and is it worth paying more for.

  • Bread and baked goods are traditionally provided with synthetically produced additives. Some people are allergic to these excipients. Among other things, there are always consumers who are allergic to gluten or generally have intolerance to grain products.
  • There are no “eco-fish” in the sea. Due to the severe environmental pollution in the sea, the fish mistakenly ingest the microplastic as feed. That’s why you should rather resort to aquaculture and pay attention to fish products with EU seals such as MSC and additional seals such as Followfish. Put donuts or herring on the menu instead of salmon and shrimp.
  • The same applies to milk, butter, cheese and other milk products as to animal husbandry: Only a happy cow can give good milk.
  • In the case of eggs, it is just as worthwhile to fall back on organic (keeping type 0). You should definitely make sure that Germany is also written on the packaging after the type of husbandry (0-DE). Otherwise you buy eggs from another country and their organic requirements are different than here.

Tips for consumers

Whether you want to eat organic food or not is up to you. The fact is that organic food is good for our body. It contains more vitamins than sprayed fruit and vegetables, reduces animal suffering and protects the environment.

  • When buying organic, make sure that the product is processed as little as possible. The fewer ingredients it contains, the better. Additives that are difficult for you to read should also not be put in your mouth.
  • But regional is also sustainable, right? Local fruit can be contaminated with pesticides and conventional local eggs are usually from a large farm. It is best and cheapest to buy regional and seasonal fruit and vegetables. If, for example, it is strawberry season, you should buy them directly from the producer on the farm or at the weekly market.
  • So I only eat organic from now on? That is of course up to you. Eat a balanced diet. Pay attention to organic quality. Fruit shipped from the other side of the world probably doesn’t have the nutrients you want. And too much organic sweets also hit the stomach at some point.
  • If organic is too expensive for you, you can try to grow your own fruit and vegetables. Whether in the garden or on the balcony: freshly picked fruit and vegetables are healthy and make you happy.
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Written by John Myers

Professional Chef with 25 years of industry experience at the highest levels. Restaurant owner. Beverage Director with experience creating world-class nationally recognized cocktail programs. Food writer with a distinctive Chef-driven voice and point of view.

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