Most people know about the health benefits of eating organic raw foods. Another aspect of incorporating organic raw foods into the diet is the benefits for the planet.
Organic Foods
Organic foods are beneficial to people and to the life of the planet. Organic foods are distinguished from chemically-farmed crops in important ways. According to WHFoods, the term, "organic" refers to the means by which the food was farmed. Organic farming and organic food processing is environmentally-friendly. Organic foods are not subjected to chemical based pest control methods. Organic farmers tend to the soil's health by rotating their crops. Organic farming does not create the environmental hazards that chemical farming causes. Food Routes cites a 2001 EPA report regarding the real hazards of agricultural runoff. According to the EPA report, chemical runoff from up the Mississippi river agriculture has created a dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico. This area in which there is no life was 8000 square miles in 1999.
Raw Food
Raw foods are the focus of a movement that advocates consuming only raw and living foods. While all raw foods should be organic, the focus is on the raw factor. Raw foods are not cooked above 116 degrees Fahrenheit and they are not processed. Ideally, raw foods are not cooked above 106 degrees Fahrenheit. The goal of the raw food movement is to consume as many enzymes as organic produce has to offer. Enzymes begin to break down at 106 degrees. People who follow a raw foods diet believe that these enzymes are critical for digestion and absorption of nutrients. Raw foods are also environmentally-friendly. Raw foods require no fuel for cooking, should not be transported great distances, and are organic with all the environmental benefits of organic food.
Benefits of Raw and Organic Foods
Since raw foods are not cooked, fossil fuels are not used. Raw foods are not packaged or processed in anyway, which eliminates waste and the use of plastic (a petroleum product) and styrofoam. The landfills are spared by consuming raw foods. Raw foodists leave a lighter carbon footprint.
Organic farming promotes biodiversity and crop rotation promotes fertile soil for seasons to come. Organic farmers plant supportive plants to attract natural predators for pest control. The lack of chemicals used means that ground water and nearby streams and rivers are not polluted. Aside from health benefits gained from eating organic foods, you can make a significant contribution to the health of the planet.
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