Depending on which article, post, scientific study you read – generally speaking, the jury is still out on whether there are more nutrients in organic produce (fruit and vegetables) than conventional produce.

But I’m not here to talk about nutrient levels (this time), rather I’d like to bring your awareness to the positive impact eating organic can have on the well-being of you, your family and the environment. By avoiding harmful chemicals and letting your buying-power do the talking, we can collectively cause a shift.

“But it’s too expensive” you might be saying… Then I would say to you, compared to what? Sickness?

This may sound dramatic but the reality is no one has ever tested the combined effect that these chemicals have on the human body. The food we eat is just one area of exposure; there is also the water we drink, the air we breathe, the products we use on our bodies and in our homes and the off-gasing of furnishings and materials in our homes.

Now that you’re completely depressed, the good news is there are things you can do to minimise your risk, lighten the overall toxic load, protect your family and live well, without having to create an apocalyptic-style bunker.

Why do we choose to Eat Organic?

The main 3 reasons for us are;

Taste
You won’t believe it until you try farm fresh organic produce. It is so delicious! When we eat conventional produce, we can generally tell the difference as it’s just tasteless. Bare in mind we have bought organic from the supermarket and it too can be tasteless. This can be due to the time the produce has gone from the paddock to your plate. Which raises the next point about the impact of our modern day agricultural practices have on the freshness and quality of produce.

It’s no wonder people aren’t normally excited by a salad unless it’s covered in creamy dressing and bacon bits.

Health & Environmental Impact
Today, conventional fruit and vegetables are sprayed with chemicals, genetically modified, picked early, transported, stored, gased and irradiated all in the name of customer demand for a product that looks nice and is available all year round. It doesn’t take a scientist to see this process is going to have some implications to the quality of the produce compared to one that has been picked from your back garden. Although science does show this as well – we would highly recommend a book by top Environmental Toxicologist, Dr Peter Dingle called A supplement a day keeps the doctor away.

This book also discusses how our bodies are being bombarded by hundreds of thousands of chemicals from multiple sources, food being one of them. The combined effect of this toxic soup is having very detrimental affects on our health and the environment. We see every organic purchase as a vote for better health and policies. Have a read of this newspaper article about what happened to a family of five after two weeks of switching to eating organic!

Supporting Farmers leading the way
There is a growing movement of farmers who are inspired towards a healthier, more harmonious existence with our land, animals and communities which supports the environment and a healthier lifestyle. One which realises that it’s not sustainable to just keep taking from the land, spraying it with chemicals and not resting and replacing the nutrients in the soil.

Unfortunately the majority of our food supply is from over-commercialised farming sources that has been depleted of much of their nutritional value. Even the biblical Old Testament advocates the cycling and resting of farmland for one full year every seventh year to allow time for soil to be replenished. Keep an eye out for our future Dining Experience at The Farm Byron Bay. These guys have encapsulated this concept perfectly in so many ways, reminding us about the joy of being connected to the food we eat.

Where to shop?

Farmers Markets