Consumer Trends: Organic Continues to Grow

Health foods are increasing today because more and more people are realizing that everything you put into your body can potentially cause harm to it. As a result, the more people are looking into purchasing organic foods. According to the Organic Trade Association, 78 percent of US families bought some form of organic food in 2011 compared to 73 percent two years earlier.

In fact, the organic food industry in the US has grown at a rate of nearly 17% every year since 2000. Organic nuts are quickly becoming a hit for consumers as they are learning the benefits from eating organic. Below are some reasons why they are better than non-organic nut varieties.

Organic Nuts Provide More Nutrition

Since organic nuts undergo fewer chemical treatments and other alterations, they maintain most of their nutrient content. Non-organic nuts usually contain fewer vitamins and minerals because certain chemical and physical processes can remove much of the nutrition from the food. If eating healthy means obtaining more nutrition from your food, organic nuts definitely have the advantage.

Organic Considerations

Organic nuts, or those that are grown as naturally as possible, are believed by some consumers to be safer and more beneficial to human health. These foods are not subject to chemical treatments, toxic pesticides, irradiation, steroids, or other unnecessary additives. Because of this, customers are willing to pay more for organic products despite recent studies that dispute the benefits .

Regardless of the facts or feelings on this topic, the truth is that modern, health-conscious consumers are demanding organic snacks and nuts .

Better for the environment

Many pesticides used on crops also seep into the surrounding environment, contaminating everything it touches. It is believed that the nitrogen found in many pesticides can cause illness when it enters sub-surface water supplies. According to some studies, organic farming methods reduce nitrogen levels by as much as 4 or 5 times compared to traditional methods, making drinking water safer for those who get it from underground sources.

Source: Tropical Foods (http://goo.gl/c2T6R)