My issues with organic food.

Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

Have you noticed that everybody everywhere is talking about having healthy habits, eating healthy, having a healthy lifestyle, a healthy routine and all that jazz? All of this “healthy” advice includes, of course, “healthy foods”. Those “healthy foods” are, of course, organic foods or supplements. I am not saying that there is something wrong with buying organic food. There is not. I also do it when I can because, let's face the truth – organic food is freaky expensive! What I don't like about it is the multi-billion industry that it has become. And here is actually my first issue with it …

Although, I think it is very important to know what we put into our bodies, in the last decade, organic food industry became a f**king business!

First, please, don't get me wrong! I am all about having an eco responsible and simple lifestyle and you can check all my articles on the topic (The lessons I learned from living a simple life, 10 ways you can change the world. TODAY., 10 ways you can change the world. TODAY. Part 2). I also think that eating organic food is a very good thing... when the organic food we buy is really organic. When the way it has been grown and / or produced serves the planet, the society and improves the economical justice every local farmer deserves.

In the last decade, organic food supermarkets became one of the biggest trends in our society. It looks like a great thing for humanity. However, you all know very well that where there are trends, there is also money involved. A lot of money. So nowadays, organic food stores became huge multimillion businesses that make people believe that they buy something good and “healthy” for themselves and theirs families, when it appears more and more often in different studies and research, that the food we buy from the local market is probably better and also cheaper than the food we get at big organic food stores.

In 2017 organic food industry totaled nearly $50 billion according to the Organic Trade Association. There are more and more organic food growers and food companies coming to life each year. Many of them unfortunately are far from the initial standards of organic food.

What does organic food actually mean?

This is food with “no chemically formulated fertilizers, growth stimulants, antibiotics or pesticides”.

Normally, in each country, there is an institute which serves as a watchdog for farmers and food companies trying to promote their food as “organic”. They need to be in check with some standards in order to get the label “organic” like for example how the food has been grown, in what conditions, how the animals were fed or taken care of...

Also, something very important that I think many people forget, is that organic food is not only healthy food for our bodies, it must be also good for the planet, for the society and for the animal welfare. It also must provide “economic justice for the small family farmer”. So by choosing to buy organic food or products, you actually are making a conscious choice to do something good not only for yourself but for the whole planet and society. By buying food from local farmers and producers, you support their small businesses (the word “small” is very important!) and allow them to keep growing food that is healthier than supermarket's food coming often from the other half of the globe.

The problem now is that there are, in almost every western country, big organic food stores which are financed by big food companies. They will feed and treat animals in the terrifying way all the other big companies would. Ok, maybe a little bit better, like the cows would have a little more space between them. Personally, I don't think there is a huge difference. Big food companies, organic or not, have one goal and this is to make money. They would put lower prices comparing to the local farmers and this is how they are going to attract theirs clients. Meantime, they would still treat the animals and grow the food in “foggy” conditions.

Another thing that should question us about either organic food is really organic or not, is that many certifiers started at first as non profit companies established by farmers but fast have turned into big corporations “pursuing certification” of huge agribusinesses. Why? Because they can earn more money by certification than by farming. So, again, I get some shady vibes from this information which keeps me perplex. I highly recommend to read this article which I found very informative : The organic food industry is booming, and that may be bad for consumers

Now, let's talk about the selfish, superficial and holly ridiculous, for some people, part of buying organic food.

People love buying “organic food” also for the label. It is like buying another trendy and expensive T-shirt. This is “the luxury” we can buy for our tummies. It is not far different from the clothing luxury stores where the idea of buying something “expensive, good quality and not for everybody” makes us feel good and exceptional. It is the same with organic food. Unfortunately, it became more a posh thing than a real call for better world and society.

Here is another thing that I don't like about this industry and have already mentioned, this is that it is still too expensive for the average citizen.

Yes, I know many people would say that it could be affordable if we spend well our money and we choose the right products we need, we don't make impulsive purchases etc. People who say that have to make a big reality check with themselves because they don't know anything about the society we live in.

Spending 10 euros more per week on food for some people is nothing, but for others is a lot. Due to my work, I know that there are plenty of people who could never afford buying organic food. They have no more than 5 euros per day to feed a whole family. Do you think that these people would go to the fancy organic store and spend theirs 5 euros for almond milk and coconut yoghourt? I don't think so. They are more likely to go to the cheapest store in town which could be 30 or even more minutes away from their home and buy pasta, tomato sauce and some cheese.

Organic food is still something only the privileged could have access to. When I say the privileged I talk about lower middle class, middle class, upper middle class and rich. Everybody who is bellow the lower middle class is not going to stop by Whole Foods or any other organic food store. Never.

What else does this show us? That actually, eating “healthy” is not for everybody.

I believe that eating good quality foods must be a right to every human being on this planet. Even the lowest classes must have the right to eat good foods. The reality is that they will continue eating crap with pesticides because they don't have any other option. This is not a matter of choice! This is a matter of how f*cked up and twisted our society is. “Good things” are only for some people instead of being for everybody. Meditate on that!

Finally, let's talk a little bit about the education we ALL need in order to know what is good for us and what is not when it comes to food.

Again, thanks to my work, I meet on a daily basis people who live in extreme poverty. In the beginning of my journey as a person who works for an NGO, I couldn't understand why poor people eat so … poorly. I would see kids eating chocolate bars, chips and drinking coke, having theirs teeth completely damaged at the age of 5 or 6, being in the first stages of obesity... and I just could not understand it. I could not understand how it was possible for theirs parents to allow them to eat like that!

Now, I understand that these people lack of education towards food. And this is a huge problem for our society. Poor people think that eating chips, chocolate and drinking coke is a symbol of prosperity, of success, of having ENOUGH money. It is not people's fault having these wrong beliefs about food. It shows us the wounds of our educational system and of our society. These are the terrifying consequences and results of the capitalism.

People need to be educated on what is good for their heath and what is not. This is everybody's right. One of the reasons why poor people die younger than rich people is their poor diet. Often, they have many health issues early in their life and by the age of 40 they already look like someone who is in theirs 60ies. In theirs 60ies many of them die or have already died. What we eat trough our life is massively important on how we are going to live and how long.

We all must think about educating ourselves and our children on what good and bad food is, why eating good food is not only better for our health but also for the planet, why ditching coke and all the process foods is better for our society, why choosing the small local farmer or market or a cooperative is a better way to make a positive impact. Eating well must be for everybody, not only for the privileged. It is a human right! We all must start thinking more about the consequences of our actions and how we all make a difference in this world and in society. Let's speak up! Love, Elena

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The lessons I learned from living a simple life

10 ways you can change the world. TODAY.

10 ways you can change the world. TODAY. Part 2