On one hand, we are spending our energy on saving the environment while on the other hand, we tend to focus on convenience and costs of buying essential groceries at discounted prices. Discounted prices are not bad, but the kind of prices you pay for essential groceries are at a very low cost that you cannot even source the products in countries like India.

 

Please beware of such deals being advertised across social media,  because most of these deals are on popular products used for daily consumption that are left overs from past beyond the expiry dates. 

 

 Organic and regular products

Organic produce is grown with natural fertilizers(manure, compost) without synthetic or chemical fertilizers. In Organic produce, weeds are controlled naturally through crop rotation, hand weeding, mulching and tilling. Pests are controlled using natural methods (birds, insects, traps) and naturally-derived pesticides. While conventionally grown produce in today’s times uses synthetic or chemical fertilizers. 

 

Organic produce was the conventional way of farming till 1970s and 1980s in India and were referred to as conventionally grown or sustainably grown. Over a period of time with growing demands and entry of western fertilizers farmers started to use synthetic and chemical fertilizers. The weeds are controlled with chemical herbicides.

 

 

The Benefits

It is very important to know how and where our food is grown and processed because they have major impact on our mental, emotional health and on our environment as well. Organically grown foods have more beneficial nutrients, such as antioxidants, than conventionally-grown food produce. The conventionally grown foods have started to impact lives of people in ways not experienced before such as food allergies, diabetes, heart ailments, activates variety of the dreadful cancer cells. Often it is found that food allergy symptoms have lessened or completely eliminated with adoption of organic foods.

 

Zero Pesticides: Chemicals such as fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides are widely used in conventional agriculture and residues remain on (and in) the food we eat. There by causing health ailments in human beings. We have not found direct connection between pesticide exposure and an increased risk of cancer (Ex: breast cancer) in people. Still, young female farm workers are at higher risk for a range of medical conditions. And some of the most commonly used pesticides have been shown to mimic estrogen in laboratory animals. For example, Atrazine, commonly used to grow corn, can increase estrogen production by turning on the aromatase enzyme. So the “better safe than sorry” principle makes sense here.

Organic food is often fresher because it doesn’t contain preservatives that make it last longer. Organic produce is often (but not always, so watch where it is from) produced on smaller farms near where it is sold.

 

Organic farming is better for the environment. Organic farming practices reduce pollution, conserve water, reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and use less energy. Farming without pesticides is also better for nearby birds and animals as well as people who live close to farms.

 

Organic food is GMO-free. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) or genetically engineered (GE) foods are plants whose DNA has been altered in ways that cannot occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding, most commonly in order to be resistant to pesticides or produce an insecticide.

 

Dont go for gimmicks

It is that time of the year where many retail stores offer deals on your regular groceries. The general groceries sold at rock bottom prices are often not new stock and in the name of the festival season often offloaded to consumers at $0.99 -$2.99 for 2-4 lbs. The costs would be cheaper than what is available in India, and that is not surprising knowing that every grocery stores across the US puts the products on sale or have to get one for free if you buy one.  

 

Go Organic Everyday

Organic Sphere makes organic foods affordable. We source directly from farmers and all are in bulk packings. Check our products and prices.