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My daughter and I once read the list of ingredients in one of the synthetic supplements I'd been taking. I was dismayed to discover how many unnecessary and unhealthy chemicals were in it.

Sarah's story isn't unique. As more of us become health-conscious, the availability of organic options has grown exponentially. Organic ingredients are grown without pesticides , synthetic fertilizers, or genetic engineering GMOs. According to the Organic Trade Association, it is the most consumer-driven and most heavily regulated food system.

For something to have a certified organic label, 95 percent of its ingredients must be organic. In the United States, organic products are regulated under the Organic Foods Production Act and overseen by the National Organic Standards Board.

Any farmer or company that sells organic products in the U. must follow strict guidelines to protect natural resources. Farmers must grow vegetables or herbs in soil that has been free of all prohibited pesticides for three years or more.

The best way to get your vitamins and minerals is through a healthy diet that consists of a rainbow of vegetables, fruits, seeds, and nuts. But at times, you may need an extra boost in nutrients. Supplements can fill the gaps. Organic dietary supplements come from ingredients that are certified organic.

As mentioned, organic products must be free from toxic chemicals and fillers. That purity makes organic supplements better for your body — and the environment. The vitamins and nutrients in many supplements are synthetic. In some cases, synthetics may not be easily absorbed or used by the body at all.

A case in point is calcium carbonate, which is like chalk. Physicians have found undigested calcium carbonate pills in the gut, months later! In contrast, certified organic dietary supplements are typically made with simple, natural processes.

Freeze-drying herbs for capsules or extracting them in a liquid retains the full spectrum of nutrients available in the whole plant. The body more readily absorbs nutrients from organic supplements. More than studies have found that organic crops — from apples, blueberries, and carrots to zucchini — have substantially higher concentrations of antioxidants and other nutrients than non-organic ones.

When you take a certified organic dietary supplement, you know that you are using a product that has not been exposed to hundreds of toxic chemicals. Many pesticides and herbicides are carcinogenic or cause endocrine-disruption.

Your taste buds will tell you — organic food tastes great! Healthy soils produce nutritious plants that become nourishing food and sometimes, wholesome supplements.

The body more easily absorbs nutrients from organic products. Organic farmers work in harmony with nature, promoting sustainability and building healthy ecosystems. Organic farms have 30 percent more animal and bird species on average than non-organic ones. Astonishingly, it takes more energy to produce synthetic fossil-fuel-based fertilizers than to cultivate, harvest, and transport crops — combined!

Organic farmers use environmentally-friendly farming methods that not only conserve water but also help keep pesticides out of our clean water supplies. In other words, buying organic reduces your footprint on the earth. Labeling allows you to know what is in everything you purchase, but understanding labels is still a challenge.

Below are some suggestions for finding the best options. A good company will have a trained customer satisfaction team that can answer questions about their products. Excellent customer service includes free shipping and returns!

Ready to make the switch to organic but still have a cupboard full of non-organic products? Do your research about ingredients and learn how various supplements support your health. Take your time to educate yourself on which products best align with your health goals.

Work to slowly replenish your supplements with organic options. Organic supplements come in a variety of forms.

There are fully organic-certified products, which must contain 95 percent organic ingredients, and there are products that include organic ingredients. You can buy organic capsules, powders, teas, and liquid herbal extracts of vitamins and minerals, or of specific compounds.

For example, you can buy the coenzyme CoQ10 , or herbs like turmeric and moringa. Herbal extracts are one of the simplest ways to enjoy the goodness of herbs.

Extracts are made by soaking plant material in solution, which draws out the naturally-occurring phytochemicals plant-produced compounds. Herbal extracts capture the full nutritional complexity of a plant. When you make a supplement from whole plants or herbs, versus a synthetic approximation, you capture not just its vitamins and minerals, but also the enzymes , cofactors, and other phytonutrients that make it unique.

This means there are reduced chances of the consumer to have side effects when he or she takes the organic supplement. This is another amazing health benefit of organic supplements and can be a big factor of why people are choosing organic supplements over other supplements sold in the market.

Higher levels of antioxidants and nutrients. A study conducted by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has compared a synthetic Vitamin E to its natural vitamin form.

The result of the study shows that Vitamin E contained twice as much bioavailability compared to the synthetic Vitamin E. Because the ingredients are grown with reduced exposure to chemicals and toxins, these ingredients are uncontaminated and are top quality.

This means. there are higher levels of antioxidants, minerals and vitamins in these plants. This increases the benefits of the organic supplement to the consumer. Supporting farmers and going green. This affects a good health benefit because by purchasing organic supplements, you are actually promoting biodiversity and improving the quality of soil.

Therefore, with a chain of purchasing organic supplements, improving agriculture, promoting biodiversity, this results to higher amounts of nutrients and antioxidants in the plants to be used in the supplement. This creates a good cycle for the environment where your body can also benefit.

Another health benefit of supporting organic supplements is that it does not use synthetic fertilizers and does not use carbon dioxide emissions. This means lesser air pollution because there is no need for synthetic fertilizers and plants are grown in a safer and better way.

All-natural vitamins and minerals Usually, these organic supplements come with non-GMO labels with means there are no harmful toxins, chemicals or substances added in the formula.

This also means that these supplements were no engineered or modified and are used in its own natural way only. A health benefit of organic supplements is the assurance that the product is developed and formulated using organic ingredients that do not have mixed dangerous substances that can threat your health.

There are no fillers like titanium dioxide, magnesium stearate, silicon dioxide and other compounds not found in nature that are added in the formulation of these organic supplements.

You are less likely to experience health issues like cancer, heart attack, stroke and other adverse effects. Because the organic supplements are rich in all-natural vitamins and minerals, there are less chances of side effects to the body as well.

These are incredibly beneficial to the body yet contain less risks as well. VIEW ALL HISTORY. Both conventional and organic bananas are healthy, but there may be some differences between them.

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A Quiz for Teens Are You a Workaholic? How Well Do You Sleep? Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Nutrition Evidence Based What Is Organic Food, and Is It Better Than Non-Organic Food? Medically reviewed by Lisa Hodgson, RDN, CDN, CDCES, FADCES , Nutrition — By Mary Jane Brown, PhD, RD UK — Updated on September 16, Organic food More nutrients Fewer chemicals Health benefits Is all organic food nutritious?

How to buy organic Bottom line Organic foods have grown increasingly popular over the last 2 decades. What is organic food? Organic foods may contain more nutrients. Less chemicals and resistant bacteria. Do organic foods have health benefits? Not all organic food is nutritious. The bottom line.

How we reviewed this article: History. Sep 16, Medically Reviewed By Lisa Hodgson, RDN, CDN, CDCES, FADCES. Sep 15, Written By Mary Jane Brown.

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