As the world’s population scramble to eat well to increase longevity, promote health, and fight disease, organic foods have risen to the limelight as benefactors of everything nutritious and vital to the ideal functioning of the human body. The origin of the term itself has been touted as a marketing gimmick to drive global demand for expensive exotic fruits and vegetables that supposedly offer insurmountable health benefits. In view of this, we must pause and ask ourselves if these foods are really excellent.

What is organic food?

Simply put, organic foods refer to foods that are nutritionally dense or that contain a large number of vital nutrients that can help the human body function in the ideal way. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines these foods as a super food dense in nutrients, loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants and / or phytonutrients.

To elucidate in terms of examples, blueberries, goji berries, acai, salmon, and broccoli are among the limited list of foods that have received star status for their supposed levels of nutrition. Due to their popularity, these foods are priced considerably higher and are sometimes classified as exotic, not because they are hard to find, but because of the health benefits associated with these foods.

But what is the truth?

While there have been spirited debates about the truth behind these foods, their connotation, and the term’s association with specific foods only, the facts, as clearly stated in scientific research on various foods that are claimed to be nutrient-dense foods, They are all the same: there are several foods that are rich in nutrients and there is no reason for specific foods to be elevated.

Maca powder, cocoa, kale, and other world-renowned organic foods pack a big nutritional punch, sure, but the nutrients we’re looking for aren’t just limited to these foods. To explain it in more detail, take Maca powder: derived from a root plant indigenous to Peru, the powder is touted for its high composition of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphate, and its high energy efficiency. Although the history of the nutritional composition is good, the same nutrients are found in milk, whereas any food that is high in carbohydrates can produce a lot of energy in consumption. So how can we justify paying a premium for foods that are grown far away, while getting the same nutrients from foods closer to home? It’s wise to simply incorporate a glass of milk into your daily diet to take advantage of the nutritional benefits that maca powder promises, minus the burnt holes in your pockets.

We recommend … by companies, not doctors:

Incorporate nutrient-dense foods into your daily diet rather than consuming acclaimed (expert) organic foods in frugal amounts due to the price associated with them. Red cabbage, apples, milk, eggs, tomatoes, spinach, flax seeds, carrots, and yogurt are less than 1% of the list of nutritious foods that are readily available locally. They are loaded with vital nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and polyphenols that are great for health.

The buzz around these foods, in its entirety, is a hype to promote demand for high-priced foods from various parts of the world. These foods have little medical rationale when it comes to asserting their superiority over other “regular” foods that are also quite nutritious. Ideally, fresh fruits, vegetables, protein, carbohydrates, and fats should be incorporated as part of a daily nutrition plan to get the most out of your food. Try to eat super foods (read balanced meals), rather than eating small amounts of expensive and exotic-sounding fruits and vegetables, and you will be rewarded with the health benefits that organic foods promise.