Organic life

For the last six years I have been drawn towards the idea of organic food. I realise there are a lot of chemicals in our food many of which we are unaware of. I have been reading labels for years and avoiding particular substances but eventually I decided it was time to take the plunge and give organic a proper go.
It was great to see how many supermarkets have begun providing organic fruit and vegetables. Even lots of the online food delivery services in Australia have organic products available. Ordering online has definitely made it easier to eat organic food.

The benefits

• Eating organic food means you are not consuming food that has been dosed with chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. 
• Organic food is fantastic as lots of the fruit and vegetables are grown locally. I am a big believer in supporting local farmers and it's great to see the number of locally grown organic products available increasing.
• Organic fruit and vegetables taste amazing I couldn't believe how delicious tomatoes and stone fruit are. Just like homegrown.
• By purchasing organic products you are supporting farming principles that are better for the environment. 

The challenges

• As delicious as organic food is, there is not as great a variety available. It continues to grow all the time although you do need to adjust to eating fruit and vegetables that are in season.
• Organic food can be expensive. My partner and I spent a lot of time, possibly too much time, comparing the price of organic to non organic. If you are like me and want to dive into organic food and not look back, then you need to plan to spend about a third more on your food. 
• The only other challenge I have come across is the occasional caterpillar but it makes you realise how healthy the food must be.

Be aware

Don't be confused by all the information available about organic food. Especially if you read about the dirty dozen and the clean fifteen. Australia has different practices and standards required of our farmers to that of countries such as America where lots of this information comes from. You can learn more about the Australian standards for pesticide levels and the annual results of surveys for pesticide levels here. 

At the end of the day you should be aiming for a variety of delicious fruit and vegetables in your diet. When you are ready perhaps you will take the next step ensuring that you are consuming organic produce.