Jul 12 2008
The Organic Way: An E. Coli Prevention?
Organic foods are becoming a more available option for consumers; even Walmart has begun to stock organic foods and clothing. But what are the benefits to eating organically?
According to EPA guidelines, organic produce is grown without the use of pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers, and organic meat and dairy products come from animals that have not been given antibiotics or growth hormones. Eating organically is a purer, more natural lifestyle that doesn’t involve consumption of chemicals, which is its biggest advantage health wise if you believe that you are what you eat. Additionally, organic foods are what they are, because there isn’t any added sugar, salt or fat that usually goes into overly processed foods. Although there is not an agreement among scientists on whether organic is better, some say that the natural foods contain more nutrients than nonorganic ones. At this point it’s a decision the consumer has to make.
However, as for E. coli, it’s as natural as organic food, so even if all farms adopted the organic way of processing, the bacteria could still find its way into our food. Unclean water, poor worker hygiene and the presence of domestic as well as wild animals on the field are all potential sources of E. coli. So being organic or inorganic is not the issue when it comes to E. coli.
Photo Credit: Made available by www.criticalbench.com.
Inorganic? Did not know that was a word! Anyhow, you are spot on. Bacteria such as E. coli are just as natural as organic food. On a personal note, I have recently begun eating more organic foods, whole grains, and pure fruit juices. I feel so much better than I have in the past. Keep up the excellent posts, I truly enjoy reading your blog!