Organic produce has become increasingly popular in recent years, as consumers have grown more health conscious and environmentally aware. Many stores and supermarkets now have large sections devoted to organic fruits and vegetables. So, what does organic mean? It means that these pesticides, if used, must be derived from natural sources, not synthetically manufactured. Also, these pesticides must be applied using equipment that has not been used to apply any synthetic materials for the past three years, and the land being planted cannot have been treated with synthetic materials for that period either. Most organic farmers employ various mechanical and cultural tools to help control pests such as insect traps, careful crop selection and some biological controls such as predatory insects and beneficial microorganisms. Organic farming practices strive to cycle resources, promote ecological balance in nature, and conserve biodiversity. There are many reasons why we should prefer organic and chemical free fruits. They are firstly beneficial for the environment as the chemical only harm the soil, water and wildlife. Also, organic farmers can earn much fairer prices for their organic product. Many of the agriculture research shows that non-organic produce contains residual pesticides even after washing. This could lead to long-term health hazards. So, organic and chemical free fruits are also better for human body. Pesticide exposure most likely isn't as dangerous as many advocacy groups claim, too, and washing all produce can limit exposure. Still, there is some evidence that pesticides may affect the health of kids. Even low levels of pesticide exposure can be harmful to infants, babies, and young children. In a research, it was found:
· Organic fruit and vegetables contain up to 40 percent more antioxidants
· Organic produce had higher levels of beneficial minerals like iron and zinc
· Milk from organic herds contained up to 90 percent more antioxidants
A 2003 study in the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry, for example, found that organic foods are better for fighting cancer. Various other health benefits includes:
1. Improved immune system status
2. Better sleeping habits
3. Higher vitamin E content in blood
An organization called National Program for Organic Production in India provides standards that must be adhered for organic and chemical free fruits. Unfortunately, organic food is not easily available in most parts of the world. As the technology is prospering there are many options available to order organic fruits online. There has been immense growth in the e-commerce field of the country. Which has led to a lot of benefits to the consumer as well as the seller/provider. This has also removed the middleman losses to the actual provider, as the producer can reach the consumer very easily. The e-commerce platform provides resources to order anything and everything online over the internet, ordering organic foods online particularly fruits has also become common. Many people believe that organic foods have higher content of nutrients and thus are healthier than conventionally produced foods. However, scientists have not been equally convinced that this is the case as the research conducted in the field has not shown consistent results. The main difference between organic and chemical free fruits and conventional food products are the chemicals involved during production and processing.
The residues of those chemicals in food products have dubious effects on the human health. All food products on the market including those that contain residues of pesticides, antibiotics, growth hormones and other types of chemicals that are used during production and processing are said to be safe. Production and consumption of organic products are rising rapidly in Asia, and both China and India are becoming global producers of organic crops and several countries, particularly China and Japan, also becoming large consumers of organic food and drink. Selection of right kind of source of obtaining organic fruits is very important whether to buy from local farmer’s market or order organic fruits online. There are few organizations which provide labels for organic food. One should check these before buying any organic and chemical free food.