Garuda Indonesia Colours Magazine February 2020 | Page 49

Lifestyle / Flavours
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1. Noodles made of
organic ingredients
are a staple at organic
restaurants.
2. Organic vegetables
are available online
nowadays.
3. Botanical pesticides
are powerful enough
to kill insects on
common vegetables.
4. Organic farming
helps preserve natural
habitats.
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Going Organic:
An Eco-Friendly Diet
Consuming organic food is not just about following
the latest lifestyle trend. It is more about a raised
awareness of the interconnected nature of diet,
health, and the environment.
Walking down a store aisle, I can
see fruit and vegetables displayed on
their own rack with organic labelling on
the packages. Dairy products and eggs
are labelled in a similar way.
But what does organic really mean? In
what way does organic produce differ
from the conventional? What are the
advantages of organic food? Those are
some common intriguing questions
many people have. The promotion of
organic farming started in the first half
of the 20 th century, when modern,
large-scale agricultural practices began
to appear. However, it was only in the
early 2000s that the public profile of
organic food gained momentum as
consumers began to see the connection
between healthy eating and a healthy
planet. It helps that the taste and flavour
of organic foods are considered to be
better than non-organic.
Organic foods include fresh produce,
meats and dairy products; organic
ingredients are also used to produce
processed foods such as crackers,
drinks, and frozen meat. They are
produced by farmers who emphasise
the use of renewable resources and the
conservation of soil and water to
enhance the quality of the environment.
Organic food is produced without the
use of synthetic pesticides or
petroleum-based fertilisers, sewage
sludge-based fertilisers, bio-engineering,
and organic radiation. Organic poultry
and dairy products come from livestock
raised without antibiotics, growth
hormones, or genetically modified
organisms (GMOs).
Raising poultry for organic meat is
a focus at OISCA (Organization for
Industrial and Cultural Advancement)
Sukabumi Training Center in West Java.
“The chickens at OISCA do not get any
antibiotic injections at all, even when
they are first hatched,” says Muhammad
Halid, Director of OISCA Sukabumi
Training Center. The chickens are fed
with organic corn kernels and natural,
homemade food. “To improve the
immune system of the chicken,
we use botanical vitamins that
come from ginger,” Halid explains.
Organic meat and milk are believed
to be richer in certain nutrients.
A supported European study shows
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