What Requirements do Ecological Products Have?
Many people have started to consume more and more ecological products. They’re aware of healthy eating habits, and therefore, these products are now becoming very popular on the supermarket shelves.
Do we really know what an ecological product is? What requirements do they have? How can we recognize them? Let’s look at ecological products, their criteria and how they’re grown and cared for.
What are ecological foods?
Ecological foods are foods that are grown without pesticides or other chemical products. From sowing to harvesting, the whole process is completely traditional.
Ecological foods are more expensive than regular foods and they usually don’t look as pleasing. Despite that, more and more people are purchasing these types of foods. And first-time buyers, usually end up becoming converts.
They have a more intense flavor compared to regular foods and they also contain a lot more properties.
How to identify ecological products
If you want to begin the ecological lifestyle diet, you must know how to identify these products. It’s not enough if the sign or the vendor says it’s ecological. Products that fulfill the requirements to be ecological usually have one or more of the following labels:
- EU Organic Logo. This seal is used in Europe. It’s a way to group together and standardize all of the ecological products in the continent. If you see this logo on the product, you can be sure that no pesticides or transgenic products were used.
- Ecolabel. This European seal is found on non-food products. You can find it on furniture, home appliances, electronic devices, and many other items. It tells the buyer that the manufacturer used recycled materials to make the product, as well as adhering to processes that don’t pollute the environment.
- Spanish ecological agriculture. Spanish ecological products have a seal of their own. This seal indicates that the food making process is within European laws.
Why consume ecological products?
Ecological foods have much more flavor, but it’s also true that their price is noticeably higher. Are they worth the investment? The reality is that ecological products are worth much more than just their taste. Behind them, there’s a lifestyle and a level of awareness about the environment and healthy living.
People who eat these foods don’t do it just because of their taste, they do it because they truly believe in this lifestyle. Here are some reasons why we should eat ecological foods:
More ethical foods and products
When it comes to meat and eggs, ecological products consider the well-being of animals. Ecological farms claim it’s possible to consume meat in a sustainable way while caring for the animal’s quality of life. Animals raised to sell ecological meat live in partial freedom and they have a lot more space than animals that live on traditional farms.
Less pollution
By not using pesticides or other chemical products, the production of food generates less pollution. Because ecological products are sold locally, pollution related to transportation is considerably less.
Healthier products
Even though we mostly notice the taste, there’s much more to ecological products than that. These products are harvested to respect growth periods, using natural fertilizers, such as organic compost.
They power the rural economy
The majority of foods that we eat are from thousands of miles away and even from other continents. This involves a transporting process, and it affects the economy in rural areas. By eating ecological products, we help to encourage the rural economy, since it’s small, local farmers who grow these foods and take them to specialized markets to sell them.