When food produce (vegetables, fruit, meat, poultry, milk) are being grown in a farm there is the tendency to use synthetic fertilizers and chemical pesticides (animals are given growth hormones, steroids, etc.) that make their way into the final product thereby giving you a dose of harmful chemicals. So a very simple question to ask when purchasing your carrots, celery, apples, oranges, pears is this: do they contain any chemical substances that are not meant to be there naturally? If they do not, you are already on your way to a healthier body.

As defined by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), organic food is made by farmers while emphasizing use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water. All food produced and processed on organic farms is free of all synthetic ingredients and chemical additives that are not part of the natural growth process of the produce. Similarly, non-vegetarian food produces like meat, eggs, poultry and dairy products are declared organic if they are kept free from growth hormones and antibiotics.

A naturally grown and healthy animal is naturally a better food product for your own body. There is a set of well-established guidelines that were laid down by the USDA and these are generally used by the food producing industry when they wish to have their products certified organic by the USDA.

Among these guidelines is one concerning farm conditions. Vegetable farms that wish to be certified as organic must have been in working order for a minimum of three years without the use of any USDA prohibited substance on the farmland. This means that some farms must go through a 3-year process before USDA organic certification.

USDA organic food certification is also required for companies that process or handle the food before it reaches the consumer (through supermarkets or restaurants). In the supermarket, you can locate organic food by checking for the USDA certification.

One downside of organic food is that it is costlier than the regular fare. This is only natural because the farms have to give up the obvious growth increasing tactics like fertilizers, growth hormones, and so forth. The workload of a farmer is also harder because vegetables need to be hand grown and not with the use of machines.

What needs to be remembered is that even with the extra load on your pocket organic food is a much healthier option because in the long run you will be keeping your body safe from all the chemicals that other people are consuming daily. The growth of organic food is also healthier for the environment.