Organic Food
Author: Liz Eglington - Blue Sky Organics
( Article Type: Opinion )
Organic food production is about ethically producing food in a way that does no harm to the environment, that is abundant with nutrients, and provides the humans and animals that eat this food with vibrant health and well being.
NUTRITION:
Why is nutrition so important?
• There are 16 macro and micro nutrients that are essential for soil health, plant health, animal health and ultimately human health. The food chain
• We are what we eat - all along the food chain. These nutrients only appear in the soil when organic and/or natural agricultural practices are followed, and the ‘Law of Return’ is obeyed. That what is taken out of the soil is put back ‘in equal measure’ - all 16 nutrients.
• Agro chemical farming methods only ‘put back’ 3- NPK (Nitrogen, Potassium and Phosphates) but in mega doses of chemical derivatives which are watered in and force the plants to take up these ‘nutrients’ with their water roots, and the finely tuned feeding roots are superfluous. Each plant’s DNA is coded with exactly what nutrients that particular plant needs, because that is what we humans (and animals) will receive when we eat that plant.
• So each plant is different and its needs are different and its feeding roots fetch from the rich balanced soil it’s different nutrient requirements. That’s why the soils have to be alive and rich and full of microorganisms and why we are told to eat a diversity of fruits and vegetables, so that we get a diverse mix of nutrients.
• What happens when we don’t get sufficient nutrition? Two years ago the WHO (The World Health Organisation) made a shocking statement, that we have now reached the milestone globally where more people are dying from the effects of critical clinical obesity (1,3billion) than those dying from starvation. (1 billion). The real truth is that both groups are dying from nutritional starvation.
• We are currently in the worst global health crisis of all time. Our ‘food’ is directly attributable to much of that dire circumstance.
• The other shocking global statistic is that the cancer incidence is now 1:3. Our food is directly responsible for most of this. Our ‘food’ is literally killing us due to serious deficiencies or total lack of nutrients and from the pesticide residues and growth stimulants saturating those chemically grown foods which find themselves onto our plates.
• Nutrients are ESSENTIAL for life and good health.
Organic food production is also about leaving a low carbon footprint on the earth. The optimum way is for food to be grown close to where it is processed, sold and consumed. This would allow fruit and vegetables to be picked ripe, avoiding long journeys and delays between the picking and the consuming, which provides and maintains freshness and full nutritional content.
Organic food production requires that all ingredients used in the processing of this food is from a natural or organic source. At present not everything is available in South Africa and has to be imported. An example is organic sugar which is not produced in SA. Quality assurance and the integrity of the contents is an important aspect which is addressed through formal Organic certification, the pending labelling act, and the Consumer Protection act.
