Great benefits of organic foods
In today's fast-paced world, we hardly have time to eat properly. When we do eat, we often snack on sweets filled with artificial flavouring and colouring or beverages laced with caffeine to give us bursts of energy. As a result, our immune systems and bodies are left calling out for help.
According to Kerry-Ann Lee, nutritionist, "Healthy ways of eating include having fruits and vegetables that are locally grown and produced, as well as consuming organically grown foods. Both have many benefits that will provide a sigh of relief for our immune system and bodies," she said.
Lee stated that apart from the obvious fact that fruits and vegetables are cheaper and healthier, other benefits include the prevention of some forms of cancer and other chronic diseases. She indicated that they also help to keep blood sugar in balance.
"Fruits and vegetables contain various nutrients and the colour is indicative of the types of nutrients and benefits to be gained from that particular fruit or vegetable," she said.
Nutritious
Fruits and vegetables grown organically are healthier and more nutritious for human consumption. Organic foods are cultivated without the use of artificial pesticides, herbicides or fertilisers.
Donna Noble, owner of the Woodford Market Garden in St Andrew, says organic farming is labour intensive.
"Organic farmers use less energy and water resources. No machines are used to harvest the crops. Everything is done by hand, including planting, picking and packaging," Noble said.
Noble stated that because organic farmers did not use synthetic chemicals, human labour was essential to protect organic crops from weeds and pests, which made cultivators more vulnerable to losing crops.
"Although organic farming is a more expensive product when the long- term costs associated with these problems are factored in, organic farming may be the healthiest and ultimately most cost-effective option for a more sustainable future," she said.
15 varieties of crops
Noble, who has been an organic farmer since 1994, indicated that her crops consist of 15 varieties of lettuce, salad greens and herbs that are supplied to supermarkets and restaurants in Kingston. These include greens such as arugula, radicchio, kyona, and mustard greens, Swiss chard, and herbs, basil, chives, cilantro, parsley, among others.
"We started growing organic greens initially to provide our family with a regular supply of quality, local organic greens which were not available in the markets."
Noble stated that the condition of the soil is essential to healthy crops. "Everything produced at Woodford is organic, even the compost that is used to enrich the soil," she said.
The organic compost is made of a mixture of dried and green leaves, and fruit peelings from her home, eggshells, chicken and goat (grass-fed) manure. The compost takes 14 weeks to reach the desired density, after which it is applied to each field after harvesting.
Product packaging is done on Tuesdays and Thursdays. During the process, vegetables are washed with filtered water. One perhaps familiar product 'Green Salad Gourmet Blend' is a half-pound blend of organically grown selected lettuce leaves arugula, radicchio, kyona, mustard greens, Swiss chard, and herbs, basil, chives, cilantro, parsley, and others.
Benefits of fruit or vegetable
- Green (think broccoli or cabbage): helps regulate the circulatory system.
- Red (tomatoes, watermelon): helps with the prevention of prostate cancer and reduces free radical damage.
- Green and yellow (avocado): reduces the risk of developing cataracts and osteoporosis.
- Orange or yellow (oranges and pineapple): improves the mucus membrane; prevents heart disease and improves circulation.
- White or green (onion, garlic): contains antiviral and antibiotic properties.