Are Organic Products Worth the Spend?

Many friends have told me they’d love to buy everything organic, if only they could afford it. These people know the value of organics, and they want this peace of mind.

But some people feel the organic movement is just a marketing craze put out by the industry in an effort to charge people more money.

The following are my observations as to why genuine organic products tend to be a bit more expensive. After reading, you can judge for yourself whether you feel organic products are worth it.

Growing Organically is Costly

The land:

Under many certified organic standards, the land must be free from chemicals, such as chemical fertilizers and pesticides, for at least 3-7 years before it can be certified organic. During this period of time, the farmer must follow costlier organic standards, without yet being able to charge a premium.

Growing plants organically is more challenging and labor intensive than conventional methods. Often, farmers must rely on experimentation, and they have fewer options to solve any problems that come up. Sometimes crops are lost as a result of the standards.

The seeds:

Plant seeds must be free from genetic modification (non-GMO) for at least 3 generations, sometimes longer, before they can be used in organic agriculture. Naturally, organic seeds are more expensive, and less plentiful, than conventional seeds.

Plant spacing:

Plants need space to breath, especially organic plants, and in some hot countries like Australia, plenty of space between plants is critical for healthy growth, and to protect plants against pests and bacteria.

Some fruits, such as grapes or peaches, require spacing as wide as a truck, and smart planning of row direction to allow adequate cooling breezes to sooth the overheated fruits and soil during long, hot summer days.

Crop rotation and fallow:

Some organic crops require fields to “rest” for a full year to allow the soil to recover and re-mineralize back to conditions suitable for another yield.

In “modern” agriculture, with GMOs and chemical fertilizers, some farmers push to get two crops a year on the same land. In animal agriculture, hens are induced to lay eggs twice a day, (instead of the normal once a day), through the “help” of hormones.

Certification fee:

Organizations that set up and monitor organic standards, and certify processors and manufacturers, charge annual fees, and often taxes, in exchange for allowing products to carry their logo and approval.

All of the above practices cost more, but they contribute to a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable environment for all of us. By comparison, conventional practices are destroying our soils and contaminating our fresh water with excess nutrient runoff from artificial fertilizers and animal waste.

It takes effort and commitment to do the right thing that will sustain for the long term. That’s why organic costs more!

Worth It? The Health Benefits of Organics

More nutrients

Fortunately, the nutritional value of plants is typically higher for organic products, according to a peer-reviewed study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, cited by Epoch Times.

Researchers found the difference was so striking, switching to an all organic diet could have the nutritional equivalent of adding one to two servings of fruits and vegetables to your diet every day.

Nothing artificial or harmful

Another important benefit is that under most standards, organic products contain none, or only minimal, artificial ingredients.

With organics, you can be assured that you are avoiding potentially health-harming substances. Every day, it seems, there is a new study proving harm from the unregulated ingredients in conventional products.

Highest quality and effective

Personally, I feel it is very reasonable to pay a little more for organic products, especially certified ones. That is why I created my certified organic beauty company, Ausganica. In fact, I have three organic certifications.

At the same time, to keep the retail price of Ausganica as low as possible, I manufacture my hair and skin superfoods myself. This cuts out a step in my supply chain. I don’t want you to have to pay more because I didn’t do my job.

The other reason I do things this way is to ensure that no shortcuts are taken with my ingredients that would affect the efficacy of my precious creations. I love only the most vibrant and best quality goodies, and that is why I love, and value organics.

What do you think?!

Moreen Liao is a descendant of four generations of traditional Chinese medicine doctors. She is also a certified aromatherapist and the founder of Ausganica, a manufacturer of salon-quality, certified organic cosmetics. Visit Ausganica.