5 Ways to Identify Genuine Organic Products
Organic vegan products are produced without using any (or minimal) synthetic chemicals like pesticides, fertilizers, larvicides and fungicides produced by humans. They are free from GMOs as well. To begin with, organic food products are manufactured by conventional practices which organic farmers follow, that facilitate resource cycling, promote ecological balance, and the conservation of biodiversity. What is more easy and wonderful than doing our bit to help save our planet by just consuming organic produce?
Various studies have shown that organic variations of the same conventional food items contain significantly higher concentrations of antioxidants, iron, vitamin C, magnesium and phosphorus, than their non-organic counterparts. In short, they have more nutrients and very low levels of pesticide remnants and nitrate content.
The organic food industry is becoming rapidly very popular, as more and more people are inclining towards healthier food habits and taking things the sustainable way.
Fruit and vegetable farmers are feeling the pressure of increasing the supply, and hence many producers are tending towards unfair means to increase production. On today’s date it is not difficult to infuse artificial substances to make non-organic items look like original organic food. With the organic market growing at a rapid rate, it is easier to falsify products and sell them to oblivious unattentive buyers.
In order to maintain the required supply in the market, more and more newer kinds of additives are creeping into the market. This is in turn leading to many people looking for organic food to fall for the wrong products which pose as genuine ones, putting their health at stake.The vegetables and fruits with perfect vibrant colours and flawless shape with no pests can really appear to be garden-fresh and wholesome. But, it’s all a hoax!
Here are 5 simple pointers to identify organic vegan products:
1. Love the Unattractive
Organic foods never look smooth or shiny like the regular ones we see in the market. No two organic produce of the same variant are ever identical in appearance. They are not perfected for any shape specifications, and are left unaltered. They usually have odd shapes and are not larger than the typical food items. Almost every organic fruit and vegetable exhibits unique bumps, edges and colour. The physical structure of all organic food – be it grains, fruits or vegetables – is never uniform. Stay clear of any perfect-looking products, since they are not likely to be organic.
2. Timespan Matters
Ideally, organic food is free from any kind of preservatives. Organic fruits, vegetables, pulses and grain do not last longer on the shelf – since they are not treated with artificial pesticides or weedicides, and hence do not repel insects. They are known to be produced using natural procedures and delivered directly to our doorstep. Henceforth, it is advisable to acquire manageable quantities of such food so that they can be consumed before their expiry date, to minimise any unwanted wastage.
3. Insects mean Life
There is the presence of wounds made by insects or bugs on organic produce. If you spot them on vegetables, fruits, lentils, and grains it shows there is presence of insect life-form on the farm where they were produced. As said earlier, pesticides kill such insects or pests, so their presence indicates these food products were sprayed with strong chemicals or pesticides. You can simply rinse the vegetables and fruits, etc with salt or vinegar water and cut out the rotten part to consume it. This is much safer than consuming insect free products which have been sprayed with man-made pesticides.
4. Smell Tells a Story
The strong and distinct aroma of organic foods is very potent. Especially in the case of organic spices they have a strong aroma and flavour, since their oil content is kept intact. But as all things have a negative side, in this scenario there are adulterers in the food industry who are gaining expertise in blending synthetic aroma into food to replicate genuine organic products. Artificial additives are chemically created from petroleum which only achieve to mimic the original essence. So people should really be wary and remember that whiff matters, when it comes to selecting the “right” organic products.
5. Powerhouse of Nutrients
The nutrient content is much higher in organic products. Its purity makes these food items go easy on the digestive system and on consuming them, does not make a person feel bloated. The taste of authentic organic products is very flavourful, mostly in cases of spices and herbs. You will feel your tummy getting fuller more quickly, as the higher diversity and presence of nutrients helps in satisfying your hunger sooner.
To conclude, organic vegan products are great to enjoy if real products are brought back home. High end food testing ensures that consumers do not become targets of economic fraud, and the competition between food manufacturers is fair.
In today’s date, strong chemicals and pesticides contain nitrate, phosphorus and potassium – which end up in our biological system due to the consumption of products which are sprayed with such chemicals.
Only deciding to consume organic products will not help you keep your body healthy, but having the correct knowledge and awareness is equally important. Scamsters are always trying and adopting new ways to sell run-off-the-mill products masquerading as organic ones. It is our own responsibility to know and have a keen eye while buying organic products to ensure their genuineness.
Eating organic is not the only mandate to a healthy life, one needs to have enough awareness to determine what is truly organic. Always research before buying, look for reputed producers or sellers, converse with organic farmers to know about methods they undertake for the production process to understand the true nature of organic products.
Good awareness makes an organic lifestyle more wholesome.