Almost a third of Spaniards consume organic products and a 25% of them takes organic products on a daily basis. This is indicated by the latest report of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and the Environment, which confirms the upward trend in the consumption of organic products. The consumer profile is that of a person of about 44 years old, with children, with a level of education similar to the Spanish average and who chooses organic products for environmental or health and welfare reasons. The former organic products The most important items in the shopping basket were fruits and vegetables.
Spain is the leading European producer (and exporter) of organic productswith an area of 1,610,129 hectares for the cultivation of organic agriculture. You will have seen that this upward trend is growing steadily in our country: in the midst of the economic crisis the sector has grown between 10% and 20% and is expected to continue to do so until at least 2020, according to the study by Everis. However, the consumption of organic products here is still a long way from countries such as Denmark, Germany, France or England.
But what do we mean by organic products?
The organic products -also called biological products, organic products, eco products o organic products- are those that come from the organic agricultureThe company uses techniques that are respectful of the environment, people and animals. The organic agriculture does not use chemical fertilizers -which change the nutritional composition of food- or pesticides -which contaminate and affect the proper functioning of hormones-. Normally we do not give importance to these issues until diseases appear.
The organic products are healthier because they provide a therapeutic action superior to foods from conventional agriculture, thanks to their higher content of photochemicals that strengthen the immune system. The organic productsThey are also richer in vitamins and antioxidants and have a more balanced proportion of minerals and trace elements.
How can we be sure that a product is really environmentally friendly?
In Spain, there are private companies dedicated to certification, which guarantee that the product is organicsuch as Ecovlia y Sohiscert. In addition, each autonomous community has its own public certification body.
If you want to keep up to date with the latest news about organic products and organic culture...
You must know the association Healthy Livingcreated in 1981 and chaired by Ángeles Parra. She is the author of the phrase "Spain is the vegetable garden of Europe".. This reference association publishes the magazine The Ecologist and organizes the annual fair Biocultura in Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia and Bilbao. We also recommend media such as Bioeco Actual, TV Bio o Ecoticias.
[resum] [resumThe organic products are those that come from the organic agricultureThe company uses techniques that are respectful of the environment, people and animals. The organic agriculture does not use chemical fertilizers -which change the nutritional composition of food- or pesticides -which contaminate and affect the proper functioning of hormones-.[/resume]
Photo: © monticellllo
