Organic Food and Mental Health
These days, workplaces are more fast-paced and competitive. So, these environments become much more hectic for everyday people, who need some more mental rest in the process. That being said, mental health is being encouraged more and more in today’s society as people become more away from its necessity.
That’s why it’s important for people who lead stressful daily lives to find solutions for maintaining positivity and mental well-being. And that’s why we’ll be discussing organic food benefits for mental health.
What the science says about organic vs. inorganic
A detailed study compared the chemistry of inorganic and organic foods. Researchers discovered that produce grown organically showed 12% more nutritional value than their artificially produced counterparts.
They’re especially rich in antioxidants since plants naturally produce them as protection against insects or pests. These compounds are immensely important to develop to protect themselves from pests. They’re just as important in humans too, since antioxidants are effective in treating mental health issues like anxiety and depression.
Organic products also have more phenols, another type of natural plant compound. Phenols have a higher essential fatty acid ratio, which is known to reduce cancer risk. The study also showed that organic foods have fewer pesticide deposits. While a lot of inorganic products are marketed as having safe levels of pesticides, there’s no comparison to the levels in organic food.
Physical and mental health go hand in hand
Switching to organic might feel like a temporary phase, but you’re doing more than just helping the environment, which is a simple bonus. Organic diets, if maintained properly, have an active positive effect on your physical health, which in turn greatly impacts your mental wellbeing.
We’ve already discussed how organic products have fewer pesticides and chemicals. Not only is this a net positive in reducing cancer risks, but it has even more direct impacts on physical and mental health. Fewer pesticide levels mean less nausea, irritation, seizures, and headaches. These are all daily annoyances that tend to burden people’s mental state lives more than they realize.
Long-term exposure to these chemicals can also increase the risk of getting physical diseases like asthma, cancers, COPD, etc. They’re also risk factors for a majority of psychiatric disorders like depression and ADHD. Choosing organic foods can help avoid these risks completely.
We’ve also discussed how organic foods contain more nutrients than inorganic produce. The greater the nutritional value, the better your general health. More nutrients equate to better physical performance both at work and at home. This improves your quality of life, which in turn improves your mental health. Better physical health also relieves stress from the body and mind.
The nutrients are also helpful in repairing muscle damage as well as issues in growth and development. Our muscles need essential nutrients like vitamin B12, amino acids, and protein, all of which are found abundantly in organic food. Better muscle systems mean less fatigue and pain, which can help you feel more relaxed and rejuvenated on a daily basis.
Organic food benefits for mental health
How your foods are produced or raised can impact your mental and emotional wellbeing on a massive scale. You must notice how eating something healthy and filling leaves you feeling satisfied, compared to when you feel drowsy or tired with junk food. That’s essentially what an organic diet feels like. Here are some organic food benefits that directly impact mental health:
Organic foods have fewer pesticides
The fewer the number of pesticides, the less likely you’ll suffer from any side effects. Less pesticide exposure also reduces the risk of depression, anxiety, and ADHD.
Organic produce is typically fresher
Since it has no preservatives to make it stay fresh. Organic food is sometimes grown on small farms near the market areas, which means they’re fresh when sold. The fresher the produce, the better you feel.
Organic farming tastes a lot better
Studies show that if you compare organic to inorganic food in a taste test, most people would prefer the organic versions of their items better. That’s because the fresher ingredients have a more natural taste that appeals to the taste buds. Eating good food releases endorphins that leave you feeling a lot more positive compared to eating inorganic food.
Organic foods have more nutrients
The brain is a hard-working organ that consumes a lot of the calories we eat. It requires specific nutrients to function perfectly. Organic foods contain these nutrients, which keep the brain working smoothly. Better brain function means better hormone levels, physical health, and consciousness.
Organic food is healthier
Research shows that organic food is overall much healthier than inorganic food. It improves physical health and immunity, which have a direct impact on mental health as well.
Well, hopefully, this article opens your eyes to the possibility of organic food being more readily adopted by people.
Reference links:
Agroecosystem Management and Nutritional Quality of Plant Foods
www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07352689.2011.554417#preview
Role of antioxidantsin depression
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3512361/
Does organic food taste better?
www.researchgate.net/publication/242000272_Does_organic_food_taste_better_A_claim_substantiation_approach
Organic food and impact on human health
www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1573521411000054
