The Importance of being Bio

We couldn't start any other way. We're talking about a concept that means a lot to us and that is growing every year. It's interesting to see how the consumption of organic products in the Portuguese diet has evolved, bearing in mind that nowadays all large supermarkets have a significant organic section, something that wasn't normal a few years ago.

What has happened? Has the population realized that nutrition is important? Has awareness of the importance of food from “sustainable” forms of production increased with the growth of social media? And why is it cool to be organic?

We don't know the answer, but there has been a considerable increase. If we consider products that would previously have been unthinkable to produce organic, today they are a reality.

I'm glad this change is taking place, but we will never be fundamentalists in saying that conventional agriculture should cease to exist, because the truth is that organic food is significantly more expensive for consumers and producers. This is very much reflected in a family's monthly budget, given that buying vegetables is expensive and it's easier to opt for pre-made and/or junk food, which “feeds” at a much more affordable price.

Its growth is largely due to the small producer who has driven this “comeback” and has meant that large stores have had to adapt and look for new solutions to fill this gap. Let's break it down.

Why is organic better?

The main reason is directly related to production methods that are less intensive and healthier for the soil and its microbiological life.

Agriculture is regulated and there is real control over what reaches supermarket shelves. The EU imposes restrictions during the production cycle on both, much greater in the case of bio, in terms of what can be used to grow crops and protect them. In addition, in the case of supermarkets, a sample of a consignment of vegetables and/or fruit is analyzed to check that everything is within the parameters imposed by the EU, which is crucial to promoting food safety. Now, let's not kid ourselves, while organic food can't have any residues of plant protection products, conventionally farmed food usually contains residues that are not normal in its natural constitution - they are within the limits imposed by the EU when it comes to food safety.

Let's talk about taste. Freshness differentiates organic products that come from small family farms and are focused on the end-customer trade from supermarket products, whether organic or conventional, because, of course, large supermarkets don't have such quick access, for various reasons related to distribution and organization between producers.

However, there are of course vegetables where the taste is clearly different, as is the case with many greens. When it comes to the presence of residues, as mentioned above, there is a difference and it often influences the taste, so if you can, opt for organic vegetables, preferably local ones. If you have to choose in order to control the budget, go for the greens (and tomatoes, when they're in season)!

Vegetables from the supermarket are not the same as those from a certified small-scale farm, not least because the large supermarkets look at presentation first and taste second. This is because we, as consumers, will always choose the most perfect vegetable, no matter what. Perfection - at least for us - means not using any phytosanitary products, reducing the time between harvest and delivery as much as possible and ensuring that each product arrives at your home as if it were still in the ground. That's what true quality is all about!