Buying Organic Fruit and Vegetables When You're Over 50 Kendal
When you’re older it’s more important than ever to look after your health. For most of us that means buying and consuming more fruit and vegetables - which may raise the question of whether or not you should choose organic produce, and if so, what are the advantages. Debate rages over the assumed benefits of organic versus regular food. This article provides a few points you should consider that may help you to decide.
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Buying Organic Fruit and Vegetables When You're Over 50
Organic or non-organic fruit and veg? What’s the real difference and does the former really do you any more good? It’s a complex arena but these few points have been designed to help shape your thinking around whether or not organic is for you.
• Health benefits
The jury’s definitely out on whether or not organic fruit and vegetables are any “healthier”, with conflicting research being published on a regular basis. Health benefits such as higher levels of vitamin C and some essential minerals and antioxidants in organic produce may actually be linked to greater freshness or how fruit and vegetables are stored rather than whether or not they are organic.
• No harmful pesticides
Several hundred chemical pesticides are used in conventional farming. As a result high levels of pesticide residues can be found in those non-organic foods which are most attractive to pests such as apples, nectarines, strawberries, peppers, celery, cherries, lettuce, grapes, pears, spinach, and potatoes. These probably aren’t present in harmful levels, but are completely absent in organic produce so you may want to take this into account.
• Organic is fresher
Organic fruit and vegetables are not necessarily any fresher than regular produce unless you have purchased them direct from a local supplier. It’s worth bearing in mind that some frozen fruit and vegetables can actually be the freshest in terms of time from field to plate, whether or not they are organic.
• Organic tastes better
Although many people say they prefer organic food because it tastes better there have also been numerous blind testings showing that this is by no means always the case. Again, taste differences may relate to freshness rather than whether or not the produce is organic. It’s definitely an area of personal choice.
• Environmentally friendly
Much non-organic fruit and vegetables being offered are flown thousands of miles. Organic food therefore may be more environmentally friendly due to lack of pesticides and also because it may be grown locally, thus reducing its impact on the carbon footprint. But don’t confuse “local” with “organic” as the two are not identical even though a good source of organic fruit and vegetables can be local farmers markets and vegetable box suppliers.
• Costs more
In general organic produce does tend to cost more although it can be cheaper if you are buying local fruit and vegetables when they are in season. And, organic or not – this does support the local economy. However if you have done your research and believe that organic really is best it is a small price to pay when compared to many other less fundamental things that we all spend our money on.
Click here to access more useful information for the over 50s from in my prime.
• Health benefits
The jury’s definitely out on whether or not organic fruit and vegetables are any “healthier”, with conflicting research being published on a regular basis. Health benefits such as higher levels of vitamin C and some essential minerals and antioxidants in organic produce may actually be linked to greater freshness or how fruit and vegetables are stored rather than whether or not they are organic.
• No harmful pesticides
Several hundred chemical pesticides are used in conventional farming. As a result high levels of pesticide residues can be found in those non-organic foods which are most attractive to pests such as apples, nectarines, strawberries, peppers, celery, cherries, lettuce, grapes, pears, spinach, and potatoes. These probably aren’t present in harmful levels, but are completely absent in organic produce so you may want to take this into account.
• Organic is fresher
Organic fruit and vegetables are not necessarily any fresher than regular produce unless you have purchased them direct from a local supplier. It’s worth bearing in mind that some frozen fruit and vegetables can actually be the freshest in terms of time from field to plate, whether or not they are organic.
• Organic tastes better
Although many people say they prefer organic food because it tastes better there have also been numerous blind testings showing that this is by no means always the case. Again, taste differences may relate to freshness rather than whether or not the produce is organic. It’s definitely an area of personal choice.
• Environmentally friendly
Much non-organic fruit and vegetables being offered are flown thousands of miles. Organic food therefore may be more environmentally friendly due to lack of pesticides and also because it may be grown locally, thus reducing its impact on the carbon footprint. But don’t confuse “local” with “organic” as the two are not identical even though a good source of organic fruit and vegetables can be local farmers markets and vegetable box suppliers.
• Costs more
In general organic produce does tend to cost more although it can be cheaper if you are buying local fruit and vegetables when they are in season. And, organic or not – this does support the local economy. However if you have done your research and believe that organic really is best it is a small price to pay when compared to many other less fundamental things that we all spend our money on.
Click here to access more useful information for the over 50s from in my prime.