Conscious Consumption: Going Organic, Vegan And Vegetarian
You’ve heard and read about them: organic food, veganism, and vegetarianism. You know these are healthy eating trends, but you don’t know which one you should follow.
Should you start getting organic meat delivery? Maybe you should strike all meat from your diet. How about reducing meat consumption or swearing off red meat? It’s time to know the answer. Read on for a crash course on healthy eating trends to decide which one suits you best.
Going Organic
Generally speaking, organic fruits and vegetables are from crops that were not treated with synthetic fertilizers and pesticides and planted in soil free from such chemical aids. Also broadly speaking, organic meat, fish, poultry, dairy, and other animal food products must come from animals that have not been given growth hormones and antibiotics; they must also have had outdoor access and been fed only organic food.
Additionally, organic food cannot come from genetically modified plants and animals or those whose genetic makeup has been altered in some way. Organic farmers also use natural farming techniques to grow crops and rear livestock, including composting, cover cropping, crop rotation, and pasturing.
Organic food can be fresh, processed, and frozen. Fresh organic food means organic fruits, vegetables, and meat harvested and sold as they are. Processed organic food includes organic milk, cheeses, yogurt, sauces, juices, etc. – all made from single or multiple organic ingredients and have undergone some sort of processing. Frozen organic food is exactly what it says – it’s fresh or processed (usually processed) organic food that has been frozen, usually for safe long-term storage and distribution.
Why Go Organic?
Embracing an organic lifestyle is a commitment to personal health and environmental sustainability. It is rooted in the premise that food choices affect not only the human body but also the planet. This perspective leads to a willingness to invest more in higher-quality, environmentally responsible food sources.
The following are the primary considerations people have when they shift to organic:
1. Health
Organic foods are “cleaner” in the sense that they have little to no chemical pesticide and fertilizer residues. Eating organic also lowers the risk of undue exposure to growth hormones and antibiotics. Excessive antibiotics in meat and dairy products can lead to antibiotic resistance. Additionally, they put humans at risk for antibiotic-resistant infections that can transfer from animals to humans (i.e., zoonotic diseases).
2. The Environment
Organic farming practices can be more sustainable and eco-friendly. Examples include:
- Crop rotation helps replenish soil nutrients and keep soil healthy.
- Agroforestry can prevent soil erosion and has the added benefit of flood mitigation.
- Cover cropping helps in weed control.
- Integrated pest management that uses biological and cultural methods can keep pests under control without eliminating them, which can unbalance the ecosystem and, thus, be detrimental to the environment.
- Renewable energy can minimize the carbon footprint of livestock farms.
- Pasturing helps fertilize and till the soil while controlling weed populations.
Choosing organic, therefore, also means supporting farming methods that are better for the planet.
3. Taste and Quality
Many advocates for organic eating argue that organic food tastes better, and they attribute this to well-nourished, well-balanced soil and the lack of chemical aids. This perception may well be subjective, but the fact remains that people who have made the shift like the taste of organic food better than conventionally produced food.
Veganism
Veganism is a philosophy and lifestyle that abhors animal exploitation and cruelty. Therefore, it extends beyond aplant-based diet or eating only vegan products (e.g., fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds, and more).
It is a given that vegans do not consume meat, fish, all kinds of seafood, poultry, and any animal-derived food (e.g., milk, butter, cheese, yogurt, honey, and others). However, they are also strictly plant-based in everything else, not just food. They refrain from using any product tested on or derived from animals.
Therefore, vegans eschew and advocate against the use of leather and fur. They don’t like cosmetics, medicines, and other products that have beentested on animals.
This approach advocates for a world where animals are not used and treated as commodities. Veganism espouses that all animals are sentient, so it doesn’t make sense to discriminate among them and treat dogs and cats as pets but eat cows and chickens.
Why Go Vegan?
There are many justifications for veganism, including health, environmental, and ethical motivations.
1. Health
Many turn to veganism for its potential health benefits. Research suggests vegans tend to have lower cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and heart disease risk. Additionally, a vegan diet is often effective for weight management and can mitigate the risk of certain chronic diseases.
2. Environment
The environmental argument for veganism is compelling. Animal agriculture leads to greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and water pollution. If people refrain from eating farmed animals, they can help lessen the world’s carbon footprint and promote a more sustainable use of resources.
3. Ethics
For many, veganism is a stand against animal cruelty and industrialized farming. It is a commitment to avoid exploiting animals for food, clothing, or other purposes.
Vegetarianism
Whereas veganism is avoiding all animal products, not just food, vegetarianism is committing to a primarily plant-based diet that excludes one or several animal-based foods. It has many types, all involving a diet of fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, seeds, and other plant-based food, plus one or more animal products. Most vegetarians also consume honey.
- Lacto-vegetarianism: Lacto-vegetarians do not eat meat, fish, all kinds of seafood, poultry, and eggs, but they eat dairy products like cheese, yogurt, and butter.
- Ovo-vegetarianism: Ovo-vegetarians can eat eggs, but they cannot eat meat, fish, all kinds of seafood, poultry, and dairy products.
- Lacto-ovo vegetarianism: Lacto-ovo vegetarians can eat eggs and dairy products. Everything else is prohibited.
- Pescatarianism: Pescatarians eat dairy, eggs, fish, and all kinds of seafood but avoid meat and poultry.
Why Go Vegetarian?
Most people turn to vegetarianism for its health benefits. A well-balanced vegetarian diet is rich in essential nutrients, high in fiber, and low in saturated fats.
Organic, Veganism and Vegetarianism
Going organic means eating only organic food. Veganism is avoiding all animal products, not just animal-based and animal-derived food. Vegetarianism is shifting to a primarily plant-based diet with the occasional animal-based and -derived product.
Going organic, vegan, and vegetarian are all good for your health, but they also have other benefits. It’s up to you to pick one that resonates with you and suits your lifestyle.
