Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Biological magnification & importance of organic

Mercury filled fish for dinner

For anyone who had biology or an environmental class in high school, you're probably somewhat familiar with this term. Biological magnification is defined as a trophic process in which substances in the food chain become more concentrated with each link of the food chain. In a simpler statement, it's the accumulation of toxins as you go higher up the food chain. Indeed, not too good for whoever's at the top of it all.

Wait a second. Gasp! We're at the top.

Let's check out an example.
  • A farmer sprays pesticides all over his crops.
  • Not all insects are affected by the pesticides he used, so they still continue to eat his produce.
  • The insects are later eaten by a chicken that is allowed to roam freely. Of course, to satisfy his hunger, he eats many of these toxic insects (which accumulates in its body).
  • You have chicken breasts for dinner, and the toxins now accumulate in your body.
That's not too good for your health.

There's a reason to be eating organic. Eating foods involved with all these chemicals over a long period of time can't be good for you because they will build up in your body.

Humans eat a lot. No doubt about it and that's ok.
But, there should be an increasing importance placed on getting enough organic foods into your diet and supermarkets need to be supplying the consumers with them.

I hope that baby is organic

Do what's good for your body. Eat smart, eat healthy.

4 comments:

  1. Spot on. Organic is the way to go if you're thinking about eating smart.

    But then again, the times we do indulge in junk food is usually when our so called thought process isn't functioning. :P

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  2. Ha, it's way too easy to get caught in eating junk foods cause they're so convenient.

    Organic usually involves some preparation and effort...which no one really looks forward to after a long day.

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  3. organic food is overly expensive, growing your own food is prob the cheapest way and the least likely :(

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  4. Yeah, you're right about that Gaurav. Might be a little hard to do in winter, but the summer's not so bad.

    It's good for fruits and vegetables. Other things like meat and grain items aren't easy to do at home, so might have to go out of your way for certain foods.

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