Is organic best for kids?

Organic food benefits not only your body, but your family's bodies and the rest of the world.
What is organic food?


Many people have many perception of the term organic, organic doesn't mean that the food is generally healthy, it usually depends on what you as a person regard as healthy.


Organic food is the more natural kind of food that is grown without any harmful chemicals such as pesticides, genetically modified organisms or radiation and without any man-made synthetic ingredients.


Organic foods are better for children


According to Parenting.com, switching children’s diet drastically to organic reduces their exposure to organophosphates- this is a class of pesticides that include the common and toxic malathion and chlorpyrifos and this affects the nervous system.


Beyond Pesticides, a non-profit organisation conducted a study by Environmental Health Perspectives; they tested children’s urine for organophosphorus pesticides to analyse whether eating organic diet substantially decreases exposure.
They found that for certain types of pesticides, such as organophosphates, diet is the primary route of exposure and switching to an organic diet decreases exposure substantially.


Another study done by a public health specialist and behavioural therapist, Dr. Theresa Pasqualoni, is concerned with kids’ diets. She has been researching nutrition, physical activity and stress management for more than 14 years and realised that organic foods are more beneficial than conventional foods. The study was published in the British Journal and consisted of 815 two-year-olds who consumed organic dairy products and experienced a decrease in eczema and wheezing compared to the kids who consumed conventional dairy diets.


Some facts and myths about organic foods


Myth: Organic foods are generally too expensive.


Fact: Organic farms are typically smaller than the conventional farm and also because of the different, time-intensive method they use for farming it takes more effort.
Consider these three steps when considering buying organic foods-


Organic farmers do not receive federal subsidies like conventional farmers do. The price for organic food therefore reflects the true cost of growing. Organic farming is more labour and management intensive.


Myth: Organic and natural foods are the same thing.


Fact: Although they do not consist of additives or preservatives, they still may contain ingredients that may have been genetically modified or grown with pesticides. Natural foods weren’t grown the same way as organic foods and do not meet the criteria of organic foods.


Benefits of going organic


Reduces the toxic load


Protect future generations-


According to Organic.org, before a mother’s first nursing with her newborn, the toxic risk from pesticides has already begun. Studies show that infants are exposed to hundreds of harmful chemicals in utero.
The National Academy of Science states neurologic and behavioural effects may result from low-level exposure to pesticides. Many studies show that pesticides can adversely affect the nervous system, increase the risk of cancer and decrease fertility.


Organic diet for kids


You find organic everything; bread, dairy products, vegetables, fruit as well as meat- literally everything. Parents should try and not only focus their children’s diets on organic dairy products but should also be accompanied by other nutritional eating habits such as a wide range of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Parents should also try to avoid foods with artificial food dyes and preservatives; a good replacement according to Dr. Pasqualoni is the natural food dyes such as beets and natural preservatives that include Vitamin E.


PARENT24