Blog Entry 11 - Organic Vs. Conventional / GMO:

     

Peter A. Valencia Jr

Professor C. Jason Smith

English 101

May 17th, 2014

                                                  Organic Vs. Conventional / GMO:

        How well do you know the food that you consume? A majority of the people in the United States are oblivious to the fact on how the food they purchase and consume are   

grown. If I told you that most of the food in your kitchen is genetically modified would you think twice before eating it? Genetically modified organism (G.M.O) and organic grown foods may look and taste similar but they came to be using two completely different methods of growing foods. Certain individuals are against G.M.Os and prefer organic, some don’t even have a choice in the matter due to the fact organic foods are a bit more expensive, and then we have those individuals that may have not have as much access to organic products compared to others. Some may argue that organically grown products are healthier than the conventional (G.M.O) way of growing food however both organic and conventional foods have their pros and cons.

      What are organic foods? According to Segen's Medical Dictionary (2011) organic food is defined as the following “A broadly defined category of food which, in the purest form, is grown without chemical fertilizers or pesticides and sold to consumers without adding preservatives and synthetic food enhancers.” Certain people preferably purchase organic foods due to benefits that this method of growing food pertains. One of the benefits that consumers may gain by purchasing organic foods is the contribution of keeping the environment safe. Unlike conventional method of farming, organically grown foods use fewer amount of pesticides or chemicals that can harm the environment. According to Jessica Gore’s “Advantage and Disadvantages  of Organic Fertilizer”  she stated that “Natural soil is rich in organic matter. Increasing organic matter in agricultural soil improves the soil structure, creating more air space and water retention within the soil.” Growing food by using small amounts of pesticides and chemicals is an advantage for people who pay a little extra for their food because they have a greater amounts of antioxidant compared to conventional foods.You are probably wondering what are antioxidant, well according to Scarlet’s “Family Focus Blog”  she states the following “Antioxidants function as a natural defense system against free radicals.” It is also stated that free radicals can be harmful to the human body causing damage to DNA and cell membranes. Another benefit that organic foods have is that they contain more essential nutrients than conventional foods such as vitamins and minerals. According to Steve Meyerowitz’s  “Are Organic Foods More Nutritious?” the publisher states “In a 2002 University of Missouri study, chemists were shocked to discover that the smaller organically grown oranges delivered 30 percent more vitamin C than the large conventionally grown ones”.  

Chart by Lisa Watson.  Data from “New evidence confirms the nutritional superiority of plant-based organic foods,” by Charles Benbrook, et. al. The Organic Center, March 2008.