Very few people bother to think what they really eat. This a great mistake, because food plays important role in our life. Only need to mention that eating healthy helps to improve concentration and thinking, which result better grades at studies:) Many of us when hear about proper eating thinks immediately about low-calorie diet or nutritional labels on packed food. However, equally important is to be concerned about ingredients of which meal is made. This we should do especially nowadays , when we can't check directly in what conditions are grown for example vegetables . In this post i will present new types of food which you can find in the shops.
1. Organic Food
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| EU organic food logo |
Organic food is food grown through a process of farming without chemical pesticides and without artificial fertilizers. It is food grown in soil that is alive with billions of micro-organisms that convert the remains of vegetable life into tremendous amounts of minerals, vitamins and other nutrients to feed plant roots and ultimately ourselves.
Organic food is not treated with preservatives, radiation, hormones, antibiotics or synthetic additives or grown from genetically modified seed.
Organic food is typically certified as organic by a third party certifying organization. Europe now has a Europe-wide organic standards system. In the European Union 3.9% of the total utilized agricultural area was used for organic production in 2005 and this value is still increasing. Unfortunately one of smallest proportion of organic land is in Poland(0.6%).
In common use(especially in advertisements) are other words like Natural Food but that terms has very little meaning since it is typically unregulated and you don't have certainty that there wasn't treated with pesticides!
2. Genetically modified foods
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| GloFish, the first genetically modified animal to be sold as a pet |
A genetically modified organism (GMO) is a plant, animal or microorganism whose genetic code has been altered, subtracted, or added (either from the same species or a different species) in order to give it characteristics that it does not have naturally. In the opposit to common opinion GMOs are not only used in production of vegetables. It also has many aplication in biological and medical research, production of pharmaceutical drugs( genetically modified bacteria are used to produce the protein insulinto treat diabetes), experimental medicine (e.g. gene therapy), combat with diseases(genetically modified male mosquitoes containing a lethal gene have been developed in order to combat the spread of Dengue fever) or even in a pet market(see picture above). There are a big expectations that GMO could solve many important problems of third world. It will make food more valuable in nutrients and raise efficiency of production. Of course there raised many controversies and myths. Someone says that little is known about the long-term effects of such manipulations on both humans and the environment. And while some see GMOs as the way to the future, others believe that scientists have gone too far, tinkering with the essence of life. Analyze made by EFSA, which base on 130 research projects conducted by 500 scientific groups, states that GMOs don't cause greater risk than the unmodified organisms. But this don't canceled discussion. Opponents of GMO claim that most of research was not made enough honestly and big corporations, which control most of food production market , exert pressures on scientist and politicians.
3. Food, Inc.
In arguments about corporations lays some truth, indeed companies like Monsanto aim to monopoly and total control of farmers and whole food production market. This is shown good in documentary film Food Inc.(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAJ7V6ZnWsI). It shows how food production has changed in past 50 years and how big companies manipulaties unscrupulous the society to maximize the profits(short summary you can find in video clip below).
3. Food, Inc.
In arguments about corporations lays some truth, indeed companies like Monsanto aim to monopoly and total control of farmers and whole food production market. This is shown good in documentary film Food Inc.(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAJ7V6ZnWsI). It shows how food production has changed in past 50 years and how big companies manipulaties unscrupulous the society to maximize the profits(short summary you can find in video clip below).
And what do you think about that?:
- Is organic food something what we need or just a new part of eco fashion?
- Is worth to buy expensive eco food than conventional?
- Is GMO another threat or rescue for the world?
- How can we change food production market or maybe it don't need change?
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In my opinion we never know what we eat even we prepare it step by step at home.. food plays important role in our life but we don't have enough time to care of what we eat so usually we pick fast food or things which we could buy in supermarket. Even when we want to eat healthy it isn't enough to buy "organic food" which is on top now. We don't know how exactly it was made and how it grown.. There is just one time when we could be sure of what we eat - when we grow it by ourselves!
ReplyDeleteOh.. I am on a diet so I try not to read anything about food. For me , organic food is just a eco fashion. I dont care if the food I eat is organic or not I love eating so if something is delicous I dont really care if it is healthy or not. If you're wealthy you can aford buying organic food which is expensive. However I am a little bit afraid of GMO food, because it is just chemistry... The best solution to eat healthy food is to buy vegetables and fruits from people who rear it.
ReplyDeleteIt is sad that in Poland there is so little organic farms. But I think that the reason is that such food is much more expensive than 'normal' one and Polish people wouldn't buy it. For my side, I wouldn't cause I don't have enough money. I like eating but I don't care what I'm eating. It doesn't mean that I buy only fastfoods, McDonald's, chips and drinking Cola. I really like diary, I'm mad about jogurts, milk, cottage cheese... but I don't check is it natural or not.
ReplyDeleteI think it is more and more people who pay attention to what they eat. However, it seems to me that most do not have time to run around different stores and choose the appropriate food. Other hand, have a break at work or at school we prefer to follow one of the fast food restaurant because the food will get there quickly and without any effort.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting post. People today need to know where their food comes from and what are its types. We must educate each other. I always try to buy fresh food, somebody is not genetically modified. It is healthier and tastier. Another also is recommended.
ReplyDeleteFood is one of the most important things in our life, at least for me.I am trying to select very carefully the ingredients to my dishes, but we never know what exactly we eat. But nowadays there are more an more people who take care what they eat, because it became very popular and stylish. But there are also people who don't have time and they pick fast food or things which they could prepare very fast.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid of genetically modified food. I watched a documentary on this subject and GM food may have a very negative impact on health. Unfortunately, ordinary people haven't much impact. Some manufacturers lobby sells modified food a long time, and we eat them. Strawberries in winter, young potatoes in March, slimming yogurt ... it isn't normal. Unfortunately, information on the packaging or the seller does not know anything about it. I love to eat and I always care what appears on my table. Good and healthy food is a tasty meal basis. Although I try to choose good food and avoid junk food, I know that I can not check everything and make sure what I really eat. It's scary
ReplyDeleteFood is very important for our health. We should have balanced diet.What really matters, though, is knowing yourself. You need to make responsible eating choices within the context of your preferences and lifestyle. If your diet is unproperly it will have influence on uor healh and mood.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I don't trust modified food.
What about organic food? it seems to be healthy and natural. We should rely on organic food:)
Nowadays people, especially young, live in such hurry, that they don't have a time to pay attention to quality of their food. Of course, we try to eat healthy, but are we check is that what we buy is organic or genetically modified? I don't think so... Besides some people wonder why we have in Poland so little organic land. The answer is simple. Firstly the interest in organic food (which is not the cheapest) is low, secondly this type of agriculture is really costly and laborious. Therefore it is not simple to live in 'organic' way.
ReplyDeleteRecently more and more people eat organic food because it is trendy. I think so. But there are also a lot of people who completely don't care about food they eat and they choose fast foods. I think that I'm in the middle. I don't buy organic food but I also try not to eat fast foods. I think that we shouldn't exaggerate. We should eat healthy food, a lot of vegetables, fruits but also eat things which are tasty and we like. I think that we can't be very strict about our diet. We have one life so if we like some dishes very much why not to eat them? But of course it doesn't mean to eat fast food every day because then it is unhealthy.
ReplyDeleteIt's obvieous that fresh food is halfier and more taste than modified. Nowadays is really hard to find realy naural product without artifical ingedients. Even fruits from bazzar contain contain a large number of chemical sprays. When you buy product from grower in fact you really don't now which part of it is narutal and each contains improving ingredients.
ReplyDelete,,Let's eat out tonight" - these innocent words can take on a cpmpletely new meaning for those who are not afraid of tasting new food. If we are bored with eating the same steaks or pizzas every time we go to restaurant, perhaps it is time to look for new culinary challenges. Then we don't know what we eat and which ingrediens it contains. If you disgusted by all strange food, just look a little closer to home at some European dishes:there is tripe, which is nothing more than the inside of a sheep's or cow's stomach or frog's legs, which are on the menu in most French restaurants.
ReplyDeleteI didn't want to know that because now I will be afraid of all things I will eat! But maybe even though it was valuable information which can change my way for picking things to eat. Thanks for that!
ReplyDeleteFor sure, eating is very important part of our life. I love eat, especially sweets, chocolate, chips, everything which is unhealthy. I know it's very bad, a but I don't pay attention to what I eat. I'm slim, I have a good metabolism and eat everything what I want. I realize that it is bad for my health and that I should pay attention to food ingredients.Since I live in Warsaw, I see more and more organic food shops, such food is certainly more expensive than traditional. I think that organic food is a part of eco fashion. Being eco is trendy, but healthy, too?? I don't know.
ReplyDeleteI am sure that GMO food affect us. Furthermore, genetic modification is changing our environment because if we plant genetic modified food insects will eat it. These insects are being eaten by bigger animals and we have a circle of life. These modifications can affect these animals and it can be a cause of genetic mutations. Now we can only expect changes which we cannot reverse. Being aware of these changes is terrible.
ReplyDeleteI think that organic food is a eco fashion nowadays. Media create an image - if you want to be cool and trendy, you need to eat only health food (of course, paying enough for it!).
ReplyDeleteFood should be fresh and health, of course, but sometimes we pay only for label.
I don't have any contraindications for GMO, but nowadays, we have enough to eat. So what for combine?
You didn't tell one very important thing. Eco food has a horrible high prices. This kind of food is available aonly for rich people, not for student, for example. I consider that normal vegatables from bazaar is safe for our health. So, enjoy your meal!
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, we should not generalize using the word "GMO".
ReplyDeleteDid you know, that genetic modification is known from the beginning of human race? Bread wheat used from thousands of years was reared from the grass. Thousands years ago people were selecting those species of grass, that had big seeds. They crated artificial selection in place of natural selection. After few generations of grass, they got new specie with big seeds.
This was exactly genetic modification.
And methods like this are used today.
Another method is using pollens from one specie to pollinate another. This "method" is used from millions years by... bees. Unconsciously, of course.
What people are afraid for, is modification of genes in laboratory, by chemical changing DNA. But species created with this method are not the majority of all "genetically modificated food".
Moreover, if you learn biology, you will know, that if someone eats genetically modificated food, this modification is unable to "walk" onto eater.
Before you say "no" or "yes" to GMO, learn something about this...
Is organic food something what we need or just a new part of eco fashion?
ReplyDelete---> It's rather fashion, however the quality of food, which we eat is far unsatisfying. We should eat more healthy, but there should be no place for panic.
Is worth to buy expensive eco food than conventional?
---> Definitely no. We can buy such 'eco' food at the market.
Is GMO another threat or rescue for the world?
---> We still don't have enough information about GMOs, but we shouldn't stop developing this idea. It can be very useful, however we need more examinations in this area.
How can we change food production market or maybe it don't need change?
---> The most important is precise information about food, which we buy. It is intolerable, that producents cheat us. Strict law should punish such behaviour.
I've lately read an article about GMO food which were arguing with a myth that it is dangerous for us. We were eating GMO food for year, because even chickens are fed with that. If it hadn't be safe, we would be feeling its consequences on us right now. But we must remember one simple thing - GMO is not the most dangerous in the world for us. We are dangerous for ourselves, because we don't simple care about what and how we eat. As many people said: what you eat is what you are - I agree with that opinion and I encourage other people to think about it.
ReplyDeleteI think, that GMO products are more healthy for us. Maybe it's not rescue for the world, but it's a good thing for us. It has no pesticides, because it's modified and immune to insects. But I understand that people are scared of this - they are always afraid of the unknown. Also, I think that in 50 years GMO food will be complitly normal part of future people's life. For now i sugesst to mark those food, and if you don't like the idea, just don't buy it.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, GMO is not as unhealthy as organisations like Greenpeace allert, but it's the next step to destroy human race. What does it mean ? We have eaten GMO food for years and nothing special happend. Nowadays food are not unmodificated and if we want to buy 'eco food' we will pay a lot of money. On the other side, concerns modificate this food or do worse things with it and we are not aware of their activity. One day world found out that there's something wrong and GMO affair emerged. It's not under control, we really don't know what we eat. So this is the next step which I hint before. We don't know what concerns done, do and what will they do..
ReplyDeleteOn my study (biotechnology) we talk a lot of GMO.
ReplyDeleteI understand that people think it is something bad, especially on TV well- know person say that they eat only natural food but GMO is in a lot of products and we don't know about it. Research results show that it is safe food and something better in taste or have more vitamins. GMO plants don't need herbicides, so we don't find him in our food.
In my opinion organic food is very expensive fashion..
Food products available in stores are problematic. The mass in these chemicals and other substances. Fixers, flavor enhancers, etc.. What is new is GM, which we do not know the consequences. I would eat naturally. I find it difficult to comment on this point, but I do not think GM had a good rozój · In addition to these economic impacts
ReplyDeleteFood is something what people need most after water. We should check what we eat. Nowadays food is modified and we eat almost chemical additives and other disgusting things. Eco food is something that people should eat. Once our grandparents ate only organic food and they are much healthier than us. Our resistance is weak, we catch cold whenever is cooler weather and it is caused by food. We really don't mind about it and we are doing harm to ourselves.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion all this crazy about organic food is little exaggeration. Of course I agree that people should avoid food produced with hormones, toxins, and other disgusting things, but organic food is very expensive. Great group of people cannot afford it. The only rescue for us is GMO witch is cheap and easy to obtain. Of course lot of people will be indignant, but the fact is that for now there aren't any known negative consequence of eating GMO, unlike benefits in the form eradicate hunger and shortage of vitamins in Asians
ReplyDeleteI think eco food is very good for health, but sometimes i have the impression that a lot of people is eco fashion. They watch tv where all stars promoting eco food, and they think: eco food is trendy, and why i can't eat this?!. Maybye they want feel like a star...
ReplyDeleteI think it not worth to bay expensive food, because is it is not ahealthy like in advertised, in my opinions is not worth spending the money. best to buy food from the producer (farmer)it it is cheap and healthiest food.I think that GMO is very bad, because people shouldn't interfer in nature. for me the only way to change the market, is to buy at the fair and a strike against GMO:)