Monica Contreras

Tucker
Jem
December 1, 2012

Do You Know What Your Food Can Do To You?

In the United States, conventional foods have been a dangerously increasing problem as
the years go by. Scientific studies show that they might be more harmful than expected.
The issue with conventional food is that it is a non-ecofriendly invention that is unhealthy when
digested by the human body. Sometimes companies include certain drugs that were not meant to
be digested, and have horrible side effects. It can cause cancer, shortage in life span, and other
possibly fatal illnesses. If the United States starts producing, selling, and consuming more
organic products than many of the negative effects should decrease over time.

Once the human body digests the chemicals that were injected into the product, it has
various effects on the body, some of them could be life threatening. The amount of consumption
has a great affect on the issue stated. In 2011, Americans who rank among the lowest of
industrialized nations in terms of life expectancy spent approximately $130 billion on fast
food (Danna and Jordan). This quote is implying that the reason why the United States is the
lowest of industrialized nations in term of life expectancy is because of all the conventional and
fast food they consume every year. The amount of consumption is a real health issue to the
people of the United States. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, 70% of the
antibiotics used in the U.S. (approx. 24.6 million pounds annually) arent used to treat humans;
theyre used in our food supply (Om Organic). Antibiotics, or a medicine that inhibits the
growth of or destroys microorganisms, is used in the worlds food supply. Antibiotics were made
to help cure people, not make them sick, and they were not made to be put into food. Hence,
affecting the human body in negative ways. Conventional food products have been increasing in
sales, but also decreasing the lifespan of the consumer.

Conventional food products injure the mental, physical, and at times, emotional health of
the affected consumer. The more they consume, the greater the risk they have getting the
illnesses evoked by the products. A seven-year study of 200,000 people conducted by the
University of Hawaii found that people who ate the most processed meats (hot dogs, sausage)
had a 67 percent higher risk of pancreatic cancer than those who ate little or no meat products
(Organic or Bust). Processed meat is only one of the many foods that can affect the body in
horrible and dangerous ways (if it is consumed at high rates). The most popular foods do the
most damage to the human body. Nitrates and nitrites are used to preserve meats such as ham
and bacon, but are known to cause asthma, nausea, vomiting, and headaches in some people
(Danna and Jordan). Some chemicals used in very popular products affect the body in negative
ways. Many people do not know the side effects of these chemicals, which, at times, can be very
dangerous to the immune system or even physical traits. If people started consuming organic
food products, all the illnesses or side effects of conventional products consumed today would
decrease exponentially.

Organic agriculture is a healthy, eco friendly option when buying, selling, and consuming
food products that can prevent previous problems caused by conventional food. Buying organic
food promotes a less toxic environment for all living things. With only 0.5 percent of crop and
pasture land in organic, according to USDA that leaves 99.5 percent of farm acres in the U.S. at
risk of exposure to noxious agricultural chemicals (Greene, Scowcroft, and Tawse). Much of the
world's farmland is consumed by conventional agricultural pastures. The more organic farmland
the world has, the healthier everyone will be, and the cleaner the atmosphere will be as well.
....organic food to have far greater nutrient levels than conventionally farmed food (Natural
Bias). The human body needs a lot of nutrients, the question is: Would you want artificial, or
natural nutrients? The human body has evolved over the years, but one thing has not changed,
and that is the fact that the human body works better with natural ingredients and products, rather
than conventional. Organic food products can again, reduce illnesses and dangers caused by
conventional food products if ingested in place of these unhealthy products.

Conventional food products have been a rising issue throughout the years, especially in
the United States. Research has found that many of the conventional foods have dangerous side
effects that were unknown before. The more chemically altered foods the U.S. can get rid of, the
healthier everyone will become.




Bibliography:

Internet Sites:

"7 Major Reasons to Go Organic." Weblog post. Natural Bias RSS. N.p., 10 Jan. 2009. Web. 30
Nov. 2012.

Harm from Conventional Farming. Weblog post. Om Organics. N.p., June 2012. Web. 30
Nov. 2012.

"The Health Risks of Conventional Foods and Why Organic Is Better." Organic or Bust. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2012.

Danna, Jim, M.A., and Jo Jordan. "Glazed and Confused... It's Time To Wake Up And Smell The
Coffee." Understanding the Negative Effect of Processed Foods. N.p., July 2005. Web. 30 Nov.
2012.