Maybe you have noticed organic food in the supermarket and wondered what was so special about it. Organic health food is more expensive than conventional food but why is this? Does it taste different and is it better for you?

A Guide to Organic Health Food

Organic produce is grown and processed differently. It will not have been exposed to conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers, food additives, industrial waste, human waste, or ionizing radiation.

Organic livestock is reared without being given antibiotics or growth hormones. It is given a healthy diet. Organic livestock, such as chickens, are not genetically modified. These chickens will have been fed organic grains only, which were grown on a chemical and pesticide free farm.

Organic chickens are raised in a stress free environment, in a humane manner. They get daily access to fresh air and sunshine and are allowed to roam outside in a safe and clean area. They have lots of room to move. Do not confuse organic chickens with free-range chickens though. Although free-range chickens can roam outside, the conditions are not always clean, safe or stress free. They can be fed anything the farmer decides to give them and they can be administered antibiotics or drugs.

Is Organic Health Food Popular?

You used to only be able to get organic produce in small stores and farmer’s markets because organic farms were small and family run. Organic food production has increased about 20% a year since the early 1990s and this applies to both developed and developing nations.

Retail sales of organic health food in the United States in 2002 totaled $9 billion. In addition, the Department of Agriculture released the National Organic Standards at that time, stating the guidelines for health foods labeled “organic.” As of April 2008, organic food accounts for between 1 and 2% of worldwide food sales. Organic food is especially popular in Britain. A lot is actually imported because British farmers are unable to keep up with the high demand.

Does it Taste Different?

The difference in flavor between an organic chicken and a free-range chicken is slight but the difference between an organic chicken and a battery chicken is very obvious.

Organic chickens have healthy muscles because they can roam. A battery chicken will have wasted muscles. Organic chickens grow at a natural rate, have a healthy life, and eat high quality food. Organic farming is more labor intensive and the livestock feed costs more. This is why organic food is more expensive.

Just imagine creating a delicious boneless chicken recipe using rich and flavorful organic chicken pieces and healthy organic vegetables in an organic tomato based sauce. If you have never sampled organic vegetables, you really should because they are richer in flavor and they smell divine. A recipe like this one would be ideal for the whole family, especially if you have their good health in mind.