Why Organic Foods Are Worth The Cost Summary

The essay “Why Organic Foods Are Worth the Cost,” the author Alex Garcia presents the argument of whether or not organic foods are worth the higher cost. The essay starts with the first paragraph explaining the situation and how it has come to the author’s attention. Ending the paragraph with a thesis backing organic foods’ health benefits and environmental benefits of organic foods despite it being a contested topic. The next paragraph explains what organic foods are according to the USDA as explained, “Organic foods are produced without using most chemical pesticides, without artificial fertilizers, without genetic engineering, and without radiation…” (Garcia, pg. 112). The author then goes on to explain further including meat, dairy products,

Then the next transitions into the debate regarding how it is beneficial despite its extra cost due to the less exposure to chemicals that could be unhealthy for humans to consume. Also discussed are some of the health risk that could result from consuming inorganically grown foods including: Cancer, issues concerning becoming pregnant, miscarriages, psychiatric effect, and dermatitis (a skin condition). Further explaining that simple precautions don’t seem to be effective, and that in the long run it could cost buyers more to treat these side effects than if they had bought organic foods that have far less risk of these health hazards. This topic is then transitioned into the next paragraph as it goes on to explain that antibiotics are becoming less effective due to our current use of it in our meats when growing them. The author then list a number of diseases that are effected and that could be potentially fatal to the less dangerous diseases. The author addresses a possible counter argument acknowledging any opposition to this point and then counters it with facts concerning the growth of our current meat and products produced from animals