The Environmental and Health Benefits of Choosing Organic Fruits and Vegetables

A method of management and agricultural production that combines a high level of biodiversity with environmental precautions that protect natural resources and adheres to strict standards for animal welfare is known as organic farming.

What are the environmental benefits of choosing organic fruits and vegetables?

1. Sustainability over the long term: Numerous environmental changes are long-term and develop gradually over time. Organic farming takes into account the agroecosystem's short-, medium-, and long-term implications of agricultural activities. It seeks to generate food while creating an ecological balance to stop pest or soil fertility issues. Organic farming employs a preventative strategy as opposed to responding to issues as they arise.

2. Soil: The foundation of organic farming is the use of soil-building techniques such as crop rotation, intercropping, symbiotic relationships, cover crops, organic fertilisers, and minimal tillage. By promoting soil fauna and flora, enhance soil development, structure, and stability. As a result, mineral fertilisers are not used, which increases nutrient and energy cycling and improves the soil's capacity to retain nutrients and water.

3. Water: The contamination of groundwater with synthetic fertilizers and pesticides is a serious issue in many agricultural areas. They are substituted by organic fertilizers (such as compost, animal dung, and green manure) and by using more biodiversity, which improves soil structure and water infiltration, as their usage is prohibited in organic agriculture. Groundwater pollution is significantly decreased by well-maintained organic systems with superior nutrient-retentive capabilities.

4. Air and climate change: Organic farming requires less agrochemicals, which minimizes the usage of non-renewable energy. Organic farming is able to sequester carbon in the soil, which helps to reduce the greenhouse effect and global warming. Numerous management techniques employed in organic farming boost soil carbon uptake, boosting productivity and favouring carbon storage. 

5. Biodiversity: At all scales, organic farmers are both stewards and users of biodiversity. Traditional and adapted seeds and breeds are chosen at the gene level due to their higher disease resistance and endurance to climatic stress. Diverse combinations of plants and animals at the species level improve the cycle of nutrients and energy for agricultural production. The upkeep of natural regions inside and surrounding organic fields and the absence of chemical inputs produce adequate habitats for wildlife at the ecosystem level. Utilizing underutilized species regularly slows the loss of agro-biodiversity and improves the gene pool, which is the foundation for future adaptability.

Health benefits of choosing organic fruits and vegetables:

• Environment-friendly: Since most of the chemicals used in food production have negative effects on the environment, eating organic food indirectly helps the ecosystem. Allowing plants and animals to develop organically improves the natural food cycle. The soil has also been enhanced.
• Contains more nutrients: The majority of the chemicals used to improve food have an impact on some nutrients. Consume organic foods if you want to ensure that your diet has the maximum amount of nutrients. Your health would be better off as a result.
• Natural taste: The best meals still have a natural flavour, even though many food companies add chemicals to sweeten and enhance food flavours. You like food more when it doesn't contain chemical additions.
• Immune booster: When Covid-19 hit in 2020, the demand for organic food increased by almost 25%. It is commonly known that eating organic fruits & organic vegetables help the body build a stronger immune system. Contrarily, additives are known to harm the body.
• Pesticide reduction: Producers frequently employ insecticides to preserve food and reduce losses. The soil and animals absorb the majority of these toxins. These pesticides, sadly, have detrimental effects on both the body and the soil. Eating organic food is the best method to keep this from happening in the body.