The benefits of eating organic are numerous and well-evidenced. As no toxic chemicals are used, organic food is healthier for our bodies. Farmers aren’t exposed to harmful substances and don’t have to go into debt to finance petrochemicals and industrial machinery.
Also, it’s good for the soil, insects and for animals. Organic food is food as nature intended.
We at Goodery believe organic agriculture is the only viable way to sustain human life on earth long term. That’s why we want to make it easier for people across Norfolk to get their weekly organic shop. We’re working hard to lower our prices and improve our products every single day.
Good for you
Researchers at Newcastle University found that organic crops are up to 60% higher in a number of key antioxidants.
That’s roughly equivalent to eating an extra 1-2 portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Antioxidants are believed to play a role in preventing the development of such chronic diseases ascancer,heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s and more.
A Cambridge University study also found significant differences in the composition of organic and non-organic foods. Compounds found in increased amounts in the organic produce have been linked to a reduced risk of chronic diseases, including certain cancers.
Eating organic reduces your exposure to pesticides, as well. The frequency of pesticide residue was found to be four times higher in non-organic crops, which also contained higher concentrations of a toxic metal called cadmium.
Organic vs. Traditional: Round I
So compared to organic, traditional agriculture produces food with less nutrients, more pesticides and toxic metals?
Yeah.
No thanks. I’m not putting that stuff in my body either.
Can organic feed the world?
An argument that often arises with organic food is that yields are unable to meet the demand of a growing planet.
Introduction of genetically modified crops came from the strain of a rapidly rising population. By chemically altering the crops, farmers could theoretically produce higher yields, more quickly. In turn, putting more food on our shelves, more quickly.
However, this type of farming is fundamentally unsustainable. Not only is it detrimental to human health, but it also destroys topsoil-the key resource that plants needs to grow.
Alongside the irrevocable damage it is doing to our soil, this type of agriculture contributes 11-13% of greenhouse gas emissions which leads to a cascading series of effects: rising temperatures, rising seas, forest fires, novel viruses, droughts, famines, and wars.
This ‘traditional’ paradigm of growing food using petrochemicals is threatening human life on earth. Yet governments plow massive subsidies to make petrochemical agriculture more affordable. How is this possible? Ask your elected officials. Ask your local supermarket. Seems like something needs to change…
It is absolutely essential we pivot to using organic methods of farming if we’re to preserve the long-term viability of human life on Earth.
For organic farms to succeed they need to cultivate diverse ecosystems that work together in harmony: plants, animals and insects somehow getting along with the end result of delicious, nutritious food.
Organic crops have been proven to have yields of 40% more than their genetically-modified counterparts in times of drought. As our climate becomes increasingly unpredictable, organic agriculture is clearly the only viable way essential to maintain a stable food supply of food.
What makes food organic?
In Europe, all food that’s sold as organic has to meet strict standards. Farmers are subject to rigorous inspection every year in order to certify their produce so it can be sold with the ‘organic’ label. Everything we sell at Goodery is certified organic. That means no nasty chemicals. That’s good for you, good for farmers, and good for the planet.
Sourcing organic not only reaps delicious produce but comes with side benefits:
- responsible use of energy and natural resources
- maintenance of biodiversity
- preservation of regional ecological balances
- enhancement of soil fertility
- maintenance of water quality
Good for the planet
Enhancing soil fertility specifically is of huge importance. The current declining health of our soil, the body of our Earth, is a major issue we face. It’s estimated that we have just 60 years’ of topsoil left, and one of the biggest contributors to this is chemical-heavy farming techniques.
Read that again. We’ve got 60 years of topsoil left. Without topsoil we can’t grow food. Remember the Dust Bowl of The Great Depression? That’s what happens when there’s no topsoil…
Using organic farming methods protects and nurtures the soil. In the process of creating healthy soil, high levels of carbon is taken out of the atmosphere and stored in the earth.
Research has shown that if organic farming was common practice in the UK, we could offset at least 23% of agriculture’s current greenhouse emissions.
Organic vs. Traditional: Round I
Q: So you’re telling me that organic protects soil, sinks carbon into the earth and protects the crucial ecosystems that we all depend on?
A: Yup.
Q: And traditional agriculture destroys soil, emits up to 13% of greenhouse gases worldwide and destroys ecosystems?
A: Yes again…
Q: So why doesn’t everyone buy organic food?
A: Cost and convenience.
Join us in our mission
We’re on a mission to design a new way of living that cares for people and the planet. We see a path to this future made by creating a new generation of groceries that are 100% organic, zero waste and zero emissions.
We want to make it easier for people across Norfolk to buy organic food. If it’s more affordable and easier to do than going to the supermarket, surely more people will do it, right?
Two simple actions you can do right now:
- Subscribe to our newsletter to get updates on our journey below.
- Check out our local shop featuring fruit, veg, bread, coffee and more: Shop Norfolk & Norwich
