Why eating organically grown food is healthier

If you thought that simply eating fresh, unprocessed food means you are on a healthier diet -- THINK AGAIN.

Most farm produced food (vegetables, poultry, pork, and beef) contain a heavy mix of chemicals aimed at enhancing their growth, increasing their shelf life and making them resistant to pests.

It has been suggested that the trace amounts of chemicals found in farm produced food are the contribute to a number of health conditions -- which include obesity, certain types of cancer, growth problems, etcetera.

Some medical practitioners, dietitians, and food specialists in the US and EU have recommended avoiding farm produced foods completely and eating only organically grown food.

The US Environmental Protection Agency defines what organically grown food means:

"Organically grown" food is food grown and processed using no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. Pesticides derived from natural sources (e.g., biological pesticides) may also be used in producing organically grown food. Increasingly, some consumers are purchasing organically grown and processed foods as a way to reduce their exposure to synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.

The Mayo Clinic also describes what organically grown food is:

The word "organic" refers to the way farmers grow and process agricultural products, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products and meat. Organic farming practices are designed to encourage soil and water conservation and reduce pollution. Farmers who grow organic produce and meat don't use conventional methods to fertilize, control weeds or prevent livestock disease. For example, rather than using chemical weedkillers, organic farmers may conduct sophisticated crop rotations and spread mulch or manure to keep weeds at bay.

Organically grown food, apart from being free of pesticides and fertilizers (growth enhancers), are also said to taste better than farm produced foods.

This may have more to do with its shorter shelf life which forces stores to re-stock with fresh produce more often.  Fresh unprocessed food always tastes better and is more nutritious than food that has been on the shelf for several days after being picked.