Summary of “Why Organic Foods are Worth the Cost?”
In the essay “Why Organic Foods are Worth the Cost?” by Alex Garcia the benefits of organic foods are discussed. Nowadays, food shows are a big hit on television and these shows express the importance of organic foods. Most Americans see organic foods only by their price tag in the grocery store, but Garcia explains in this essay just why these organic foods are more expensive, as well as, why they are more healthy for consumers to purchase and ingest. Even though the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) does not state that organic food is in fact healthier, the health and environmental benefits outweigh the extra cost.
Garcia begins by expressing exactly what organic means when
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The main reason for this cost increase is the difficulty to produce these foods in large quantities. Without the use of artificial fertilizers to increase amount and size of food, herbicides to kill the intruding weeds, and pesticides to kill insects, farmers yield lower amounts of fruits and vegetables, which carries an increased price down to the consumers. Animals that are not given antibiotics and growth hormones grow slower and produce a lower amount of milk and eggs. This extra cost is made up in the health benefits of organic foods. Non-organic foods come with a risk. “The risks include cancer, psychiatric effects, difficulties becoming pregnant, miscarriages, and dermatitis” (Garcia 3). Consuming the products that have been exposed to antibiotics causes bacteria in our own bodies to build up a tolerance to antibiotics causing them to become less potent. Over time, eating more organic foods can help antibiotics to become more effective in the human body. With more consumers buying organic foods, the demand and influence for farmers produce more organic foods would ensue. Organic farming would not only benefit mankind, but our environment as well. Better quality of soil, runoff of pesticides and herbicides would become lower, and not as much carbon dioxide from farms would be released into the atmosphere helping global warming. Better environment and healthier eating would increase mankind’s overall quality of