Digestive problems can easily affect your immune system, making you more vulnerable to infection and disease. To obtain the proper nutrition for your body you should eat fresh fruit and vegetables regularly. Organic food may be beneficial because it has been grown in natural conditions without the use of genetic modification, non-organic fertilizers and pesticides.
Digestion
The digestive system is made up of the mouth, the esophagus, the stomach, the small intestine, the colon, the rectum and the anus. Digestion begins in the mouth where saliva and the chewing process begin to break down food. In the stomach digestive juices continue the breakdown of food molecules. Nutrients are absorbed through the intestinal walls and dispersed throughout the body. Waste matter is excreted.
Organic Farming
Organic food is produced by methods of organic farming, which differs from conventional agriculture in a number of ways. While conventional farming methods use chemical fertilizer to promote growth and chemical pesticides and fungicides to control insects and diseases, organic farming uses natural fertilizers such as compost and manure to promote growth, beneficial bugs and birds to control disease, and organic fungicides to curb disease. Instead of using chemical herbicides to control weeds, organic farming uses hand weeding, tilling or crop rotation methods. Organic animal farmers ensure their livestock graze outdoors and are fed with organic feed rather feed laced with hormones and antibiotics.
Certification
How can you tell if food is organic or not? All you need to do is check the label. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has developed a standardized certification program to ensure that organic food meets government standards and to enable consumers to easily choose organic food items. If a food item carries a USDA Organic label, it has been produced, handled and packaged according to USDA standards. Products labeled 100 percent organic must be exactly so and products labeled Organic must be at least 95 percent organic.
Benefits
Organic food can benefit the digestive system in a number of ways. According to The Organic Consumer's Association, vegetables and fruit that have been organically grown contain higher levels of cancer-preventing antioxidants, which can be inhibited by chemical herbicides and pesticides. Antioxidants aid the digestive system with the absorption of nutrients, boost the immune system and reduce the risk of digestive disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, acid reflux and Crohn's disease.
