[Agri Alert-110] What's so important about organic?

[Guest guest]

Agri-Alert 110 14.03.07

 

Let us grow foOd, not money,

 

 

Let us work towards a Green Orissa.Contents:

1. What's so important about organic?2. Benefits of Milk and Milk Products.

Comments:Knowledgeable customers are today asking for organic food. Super market chains are stocking them sensing the demand. What is so important about organic? As the following article points out it has got both indvidual as well as societal benefits. We are also including an article on the benefit of milk and milk products. Kindly continue to send your feedback at livingfarms(at)gmail.com

What's so important about Organic?

 

Organic produce is just as important for the societal

benefits it brings as it is for the quality or health benefits of the food.

Individual benefits of eating organic food.

 

Social benefits of eating organic food.

 

 

Social and Environmental Benefits of Organic Food

Production

 

Organic farmers have a strong commitment to their land.

If they don't abuse the land, it will provide for them and their families for many years to come. They

are far less likely to use the kind of agricultural processes which result in:

loss of topsoil

 

toxic runoff and resulting water pollution

 

soil contamination and poisoning

 

death of insects, birds, critters and beneficial soil organisms

 

 

Organic farmers typically spend a lot of time and effort improving their land.

They make compost. They are much more likely to spend and invest their

profits in the surrounding community than are corporate-owned mega-farms and

industrial meat-producing facilities.

Organic farms tend to require more labor than corporate

mechano-farms. Thus, they could be an ideal

generator of low-impact, but rewarding, jobs for hard-to-place

categories of workers, including

 

Chemically injured

 

At-risk youth

 

Welfare families

 

Homeless

 

Mentally challenged non-violent

 

Rehabbing substance abusers

 

In some areas, organic farms provide a way for travelers

to experience a low-cost and fulfilling guest experience. A one-or-two month stay on an organic farm is

appealing to many individuals wishing a time-out from our stressed out, hi-tech world.

More depth into the philosophy, environmental and social

benefits of community-scaled organic farming can be found by reading these

books.

Here is the short list of the benefits of organic food.

No pesticide, herbicide, fungicide residues on food

Less chlorine chemistry into our environment.

No synthetic fertilizer residuals built into plants

No genetically engineered organisms or varieties.

Intense, realistic flavors.

Higher vitamin content

Higher mineral content and greater mineral variety.

 

 

Don't forget, the best way to get fresh, organic fruits

and vegetables is by growing them in your own garden.

Individual Benefits of Organic Food

We maintain that organic foods are higher in vitamins and minerals than

conventionally produced foods, because the

soil has a greater variety of living organisms and trace minerals. There is some anecdotal evidence to support this theory.

Here

is an introduction to that subject.

Conventional farmers add mostly nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (the old

N-P-K)

to the soil, perhaps a little calcium or sulfur if needed. They rarely, if

ever, add expensive secondary, tertiary or trace soil elements. Once a

conventional farmer uses up the minerals endemic in his soil, which takes only a

few crop rotations, the food subsequently produced is low or devoid of these nutrients.

Additionally, conventional farmers use chemicals which kill minute soil

dwelling bacteria. Many of these bacteria enhance the plant's ability to

synthesize or absorb nutrients.

Organic

farmers, on the other hand, use things like compost, rock dust, and kelp meal,

which contain dozens of different trace minerals and soil builders.

Organic farmers try to increase the number of beneficial soil organisms, rather

than killing them.

One of the main individual benefits of eating organic is that there are no

pesticide residues on your food. In 1995, U.S. farmers applied 566 million

pounds of pesticides to food crops and growing fields. Although much of it runs

off farms and into your drinking water, a fair portion of it finds its way to

your table. A 1996 study by the California Department of Pesticide

Regulation found detectable pesticide residues on 34 percent of more than 5,500

samples of fresh produce, and California has some of the toughest pesticide

regulations in the Americas.

In a study release in 1999, Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports

magazine, found much of the produce sold in this country " contains

toxic pesticide levels high enough to be dangerous for young children. "

According to the Environmental Working Group, the 12 most pesticide-laden

fruits and vegetables are: (in order of toxicity)

 

 

 

StrawberriesBell Peppers (tie)Spinach (tie)Cherries (USA)PeachesCantaloupe (Mexico)

 

 

CeleryApplesApricotsGreen BeansGrapes (Chile)Cucumbers

 

 

 

Always buy organic when purchasing these products! Always buy organic

meat and fat products, too, because pesticides accumulate in fats and as you go

up the food chain.

Benefits of Milk and Milk Products.

People the world over often ask questions about milk and milk products, especially in the light of recent research that suggests milk is beneficial only for children. Although it is difficult to decide anything, as there is a lot of debate still going on, it might be appropriate to share the Ayurvedic view on milk and milk products.

According to Ayurveda, milk is considered an important part of the diet. The Astang Sangraha, an ancient text of Ayurveda, has a complete section, Ksheer Varga, which describes milk and milk products.

Qualities of milk

Milk has a sweet taste (Rasa).

 

It increases the ojas, which is considered to be the essence of all the dhatus (tissues). So it also nourishes the seven dhatus.

 

Milk decreases vata and pitta, but increases kapha.

 

Milk is a good vrishya (aphrodisiac), which means it strengthens the shukra dhatu (reproductive tissue).

 

Milk increases the kapha, and is heavy to digest; so, one should not take cold milk, as it tends to be heavier. Milk should always be taken hot or warm and after boiling.

 

Milk is cooling in nature (shita virya), which means it has a cooling effect on the body.

Among the eight types of milk mentioned in Ayurveda, cow's milk is said to be the best. Cow's milk is rejuvenating (rasayana). It strengthens the various tissues, improves memory, and boosts immunity. It is easily digested and absorbed in the body. It is especially good for mothers who are breastfeeding their babies.

Qualities of yogurt

Yogurt is sour in taste.

 

It has a binding quality (grahi). For this quality it is generally used as a supporting medicine in diarrhea and dysentery.

 

Yogurt is heavy to digest and heating in nature.

 

It decreases vata, and increases kapha and pitta.

 

It also increases the blood and reproductive fluids (dhatus) in the body.

 

Yoghurt made from skimmed milk is good for intestinal disorders like sprue, indigestion, and flatulence.

 

It is good to take yogurt with honey, lentils (beans), and amla (emblica officinalis).

Contra-indications

Do not eat warm yogurt.

 

Avoid eating too much yogurt in spring and winter.

 

Yogurt should never be eaten at night or for dinner.

 

Ayurveda also advises that one should not eat yogurt everyday, because that may cause blockage of circulatory channels (srotas).

Qualities of butter

Ayurveda mentions that fresh homemade butter is the best form of butter. Fresh butter tastes sweet, and also a little sour and bitter.

It helps in disorders caused due to pitta, and vata. It is also good for curing skin diseases and diseases caused due to impure blood. It has a binding quality (grahi). For this reason, one should not eat too much butter as it causes blockage of the circulatory channels (srotas). 3. It is good for memory, improves immunity, and strengthens shukra dhatu (reproductive fluid).

Qualities of ghee or clarified butter:

Ghee is a clarified form of butter, which is obtained by heating the butter. Ghee is commonly used in many Indian recipes and is also used in various Ayurvedic medicines.

Fresh ghee is good for mind, intelligence, and memory.

 

It stimulates the digestive fire and thus improves digestion.

 

It nourishes the body tissues (dhatus) and also increases the vital fluid, or ojas.

 

It is useful in the diseases of vata and pitta. It is also used in the treatment of chronic fevers.

 

It is useful in ear and eye disorders.

 

It is used to treat wounds.

The above descriptions of milk, yogurt, butter, and ghee refer to cow's milk and products made from it. It is true that in some countries we have no more those ancient breeds of cows; we have new breeds instead, which produce a lot of milk. Also the cows are fed with genetic foods and given hormone injections. For these reasons it is possible that the milk and milk products do not possess the qualities mentioned in Ayurveda. This, however, is the description found in Ayurveda. It is a topic of research to find out if cow's milk and its products possess the same properties.-- Living Farms ( a project of DRCSC, Kolkata )

77 ,B , Brhameswar Patna

Tankapani Road

PO-Baragada Brit Colony

Bhubaneswar -751018

Orissa Phone- 9938582616

www.drcsc.org