Should you encourage your child to eat organic food?

Organic foods are the fruits and vegetables grown without using toxic foreign agents like artificial chemicals, hormones, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Instead, natural fertilizers like manure are used. Organic food is beneficial for people of all ages especially children. Eating organic fosters healthier eating habits among children and helps in developing a taste for natural and authentic food. Here are the reasons behind choosing these chemical-free foods for your child.  

Benefits of going organic 
Organic foods are known to be healthier and more nutritious options than regular ones. Here are a few benefits that they offer: 

• If you choose organic food for your kids, it means you are saving them from consuming artificial preservatives and toxic pesticides which often hinder growth and lead to behavioural changes in children.  
• Organic food has more nutrients and antioxidants as well as lower nitrate levels compared to regular food which help in maintaining better physical growth. These chemical-free foods may also protect kids from the risk of acute and chronic diseases.  
• Children who eat organic options have negligible levels of metabolites. These are toxic chemicals responsible for hormonal imbalance in children. In fact, these agricultural toxins even threaten the functioning of the central nervous system in children. 
• Non-organic meat and dairy products contain chemicals that disrupt the endocrine system of kids. Eating organic also means your children are not exposed to dangerous bacteria. 
• Studies reveal that organic dairy products have significantly higher concentration of omega-3 resulting in the improvement of cardiac health among children. 

How to encourage kids to eat organic? 
Discuss the benefits of healthy eating with your kids. Children should be made to realise that the world has too many flavours for them to taste. Simply telling them to eat fruits never helps, you must explain the purpose it serves. Similarly, introducing them to the benefits of organic food will help them grow an interest towards it. Moreover, if there is a garden at home, encourage your kids to grow something organic. They will love to eat something that they have grown. Additionally, you may also stock your fridge and pantry with organic options that are both tasty and healthy.