Organic food has certain benefits over non-organic, but helping you lose weight is not necessarily one of them. The difference between organic and non-organic foods is the conditions in which they are grown or raised. Even the healthiest living and growing conditions doesn't change a food's nutritional value or calorie count.
What Organic Means
Organic farming and livestock practices are much friendlier to the environment --- and the animals. Organic farms use natural fertilizers and pesticides, such as birds and insects that eat other insects rather than chemicals and pesticides, the Greening Princeton website explains. Rotating crops takes care of the weeds so herbicides don't have to. Organic meats are from livestock raised without growth hormones or antibiotics. Livestock eat only organic foods and typically live in cleaner, more spacious and more humane conditions than their conventionally raised counterparts.
What It Doesn't Mean
Although organic foods may be healthier because of their lack of chemicals, they do not have a superior nutritional value over non-organic foods. An organic apple will have the same calories, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients as a non-organic apple, according to MayoClinic.com. The same goes for organic meats, eggs, fish and poultry.
Considerations
Since organic farming and livestock raising cost more than conventional methods, organic foods typically cost more than non-organic. Organic doesn't always matter, either. In the case of a banana, for example, you peel off the skin and any lingering chemicals before you eat it anyway. The only way to be sure a food is organic is by the green and white USDA Organic sticker, meaning the product has been certified as such by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The Bottom Line
The only way to lose weight is to burn off more calories than you consume. Watching your diet is one way to do it, but the calories will come off at the same pace regardless if they came from organic foods or not. Adding at least 30 minutes of moderate activity to your daily schedule can also help. Exercise can speed up the weight loss and improve your overall fitness level. Consult your doctor before making any dramatic changes to your diet or beginning any new exercise regimen.
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