Organic food is a common sight in supermarkets these days and it is a bit more expensive than the non-organic ranges. Nevertheless, what is organic health food exactly? Is organic boneless chicken better for you than conventional boneless chicken? Does it taste better?

What is Organic Health Food?

Organic produce is grown and processed differently. It will not have been exposed to conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers, food additives, industrial waste, human waste, or ionizing radiation.

Organic livestock, such as chickens, are reared without the use of growth hormones or antibiotics and they are fed a healthy diet. They are not genetically modified. An organic chicken will have been fed organic grains grown on a farm which has free of chemicals and pesticides for a minimum of three years.

Organic chickens are raised in a stress free environment, in a humane manner. They get daily access to fresh air and sunshine and are allowed to roam outside in a safe and clean area. They have lots of room to move. Do not confuse organic chickens with free-range chickens though. Although free-range chickens can roam outside, the conditions are not always clean, safe or stress free. They can be fed anything the farmer decides to give them and they can be administered antibiotics or drugs.

Is Organic Health Food Popular?

Organic food used to be available only in farmer’s markets and small stores because the organic farms were small, family run ones. The production of organic food has increased about 20% a year since the early 1990s in both developing and developed nations.

$9 billion worth of organic health food was sold in 2002 in the United States and in the same year, the Department of Agriculture released the National Organic Standards. This was a list of guidelines to follow in order for farmers to be able to put the “organic” label on their produce. Organic foods have accounted for between 1 and 2% of worldwide food sales since April 2008. The British are great lovers of organic health food and lots of their organic produce has to be imported because British farmers cannot keep up with the high demand.

How Does Organic Health Food Taste?

If you taste meat from an organic chicken and then meat from a battery chicken, the difference in flavor is obvious. There is some difference between organic chicken and free-range chicken but not so much.

Organic chickens are allowed room to roam about, so they have used muscles rather than wasted ones. They eat a better diet, have a better life, and are allowed to grow at a natural rate so it is clear that they will have a better flavor and texture. Organic farming is more labor intensive and the livestock feed is more expensive, so you should expect to pay more if you want to eat organic produce.

Imagine making a boneless chicken recipe with rich and tasty organic boneless chicken pieces and organically grown vegetables in an organic tomato based sauce. Organic vegetables are richer in both smell and flavor than conventionally grown vegetables. This would be a great recipe for the whole family and it is nice to know you are watching their health too.

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