CAIRO: When I asked my mom to start buying organic, she didn’t need an explanation. She had read and heard about what agriculture is like nowadays from the abundant amount of scandals in the news papers. My dad – the kind that rubs a tangerine a little and dives in before he’s made the walk from the vendor to the car, was mockingly amused at the lengths we have to go now before biting a fruit. Apparently, a long time ago, trusting the integrity of our food was second-nature; much like eating itself. It seems that genetic codes tweaking and pesticide residues were unheard of a few decades back. Nowadays, although choices are incredibly abundant for items as well as brands, health and cash are what people keep in mind. Add environment, and my personal enemy – marketing, and you’ve got a complete equation of what really matters. I just want to clear out something, environment doesn’t mean the birds and trees in this situation, it means the soil that nurtures and grows what you eat; the environment in which your food was grown in. You might have seen some brands like Isis, Wadi Food and many other smaller ones showcase their fresh produce in your local supermarket isles, in additions to other items such as milk, coffee/teas and (delicious) fresh juices. These brands are producing and labeling their food according to the current global trend; organic food. It’s all the rage at the moment. You probably also noticed that they are a tad over priced- one kilo of organic tomatoes costs 7.50 LE while Metro’s generic ones cost 4.50 LE. It’s just fruits and veggies right? Why should you pay more for it? It isn’t even wrapped any nicer! Simply put, organic and locally produced/sourced food from sustainable farms means choosing the healthiest choices for our bodies and the environment. Organic farming is earth and environment friendly. The methods practiced ensure that the land, the farming and the harvesting will guarantee the sustainability of production for many years to come. The US Department of Agriculture declares organic food as that which has been grown with no artificial means or pesticides and substances that are known to harm our health. At the same time, the soil is enhanced only with natural nutrient recycling methods like manure (organic fertilizer), unlike the sewage sludge we’ve come to hear of here in Egypt. Organic produce is also free of bioengineering and ionizing radiation. Organic dairy, meat and eggs are free of artificial substances, chemicals, drugs, hormones etc. Keep in mind that to date, organic certification is high in cost everywhere. So you can always ask you local vendor if they practice organic farming instead of heading straight to the supermarket aisles. I even ask flower shops! If you don’t have a local vendor (right!), you can just head to Metro or any big supermarket, or Isis sale points and get the Isis organic products. Another fabulous shop is The Tree in Maadi, which has a variety of organic food products that will entice your interest and taste buds. We hear choices are saving money, health and environment, so we’re giving you this insiders guide to help you make the smartest decesions on your next shopping trip. ecooptionsegypt.com
