Description: Buddhism is an eastern religion that shares some key beliefs with Hinduism, including karma and reincarnation. It has many variations, depending on the Buddhist tradition that is practiced. Some practitioners consider Buddhism a philosophy and life practice, rather than a religion.

Founder: Siddhartha Gotama (Siddhartha Gautama in Sanskrit), who is referred to as theBuddha, which means "awakened one". Firm dates for his life cannot be established from historical information. Conventional sources say he lived from 566 - 486 BCE. Recent research suggests the dates 490 410 BCE.

Date founded: Approximately 441 BCE, according to conventional sources.

Place founded: Northeastern India, near the city of Patna.

Number of adherents: 376 million

Countries with largest number of adherents: China, Japan and Thailand

Sacred texts:

Buddhas discourses are collected into four divisions:

Digha Nikaya

Majjhima Nikaya

Anguttara Nikaya

Samyutta Nikaya Part of the canon of Buddhas discourses (also known as sutras)

Dhammapada A collection of Buddhas verses. Part of the Theravada canon.

Jataka 550 stories about the former lives of Buddha.

Branches: There are several major branches of Buddhism:

Mahayana Known as the "Greater Vehicle". Mahayana is practiced predominantly in north Asia, including Tibet, China and Japan. Schools within Mahayana Buddhism include Nichiren Buddhism, Pure Land Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, and Zen Buddhism.

Theravada ("original teaching") - Also referred to as the Lesser Vehicle. Practiced predominantly in south Asia, including Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

Supreme being: Buddhism is nontheistic, since Buddha did not address the issue of the existence of a supreme being. It cannot be called atheistic, since it does not hold to the belief that there is no God.

"The Buddha rarely if ever discussed God theism is not a central part of Buddhas path to awakened enlightenment, peace, and deathless nirvana.Whether there is a God or not is one of the 14 questions that Buddha famously refused to speculate about or entertain, mainly because he was intent upon people seeking and finding the deepest truth about reality through their own experience."[1]

Buddhism includes belief in the existence of gods and spirits. "Buddha actually accepted and took for granted the existence of higher beings like Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma, and the other devas (long-lived gods, demigods, archangels)"[2]

Reality: Reality consists of both the material and spiritual worlds.

Nature of man: Man has no soul.

Mans primary problem: The primary problem faced by people is suffering, which is caused by desire.

Solution to mans primary problem: The Four Noble Truths and the Eight-Fold Path

The Four Noble Truths, which are also called the Chatvari Arya Satyani, are:

Man is viewed as having three different paths to follow in life:

The Eight-Fold Path includes:

Afterlife: The goal of Buddhism is nirvana, which is a complete cessation of existence. It is the end of the cycle of rebirth, where all passions have been extinguished. A central aspect of Buddhism is reincarnation, where the "process of repeated rebirth is known as samsara or endless wandering, a term suggesting continuous movement like the flow of a river.All living creatures are part of this cyclic movement and will continue to be reborn until they attain nirvana."[3]

Place of worship: The communal practice of Buddhism takes place in atempleor center.

Major Holidays:

Kathina An annual festival in which Buddhist followers give material to monks for their robes.

Magha Puja Day - A day to show appreciation to Buddhist monastics for their dedication and practice.

Vesak - Buddha Day - Also known as Wesak, Visakah Puja and Buddha Day. The most sacred holy day of Theravada Buddhism. An observation of the birth, enlightenment and death of the historical Buddha. Mahayana Buddhists tend to separate these three events of the Buddha's life into three separate holidays. Buddha Day takes place on the day of the first full moon in May.

Rituals: Meditation is a central practice in Buddhism. Buddhists meditate at temples/centers, as well as in their homes. It is also a common practice for Buddhist lay people to give food, flowers and incense to a Buddhist temple.

Key Terms:

Dharma The teaching of Buddha. Dharma also means "protection". "By practising Buddhas teachings we protect ourself from suffering and problems. All the problems we experience during daily life originate in ignorance, and the method for eliminating ignorance is to practice Dharma."[4]

Karma A moral act that a person does.Good karma leads a person up the ladder of the realms of rebirth. Bad karma leads a person down the ladder of the realms of rebirth.The consequences of a persons actions may be experienced in the present lifetime and/or a future lifetime.

Monastery A place where Buddhist monks live.

Monk A person who devotes his life to Buddhist principles and practices. A monks head is shaved upon initiation. "Buddhist monks have no priestly role they are not intermediaries between God and mankind and their ordination confers no supernatural powers or authority."[5]

Nirvana "A complete cessation of being and supreme goal of Buddhist endeavor."[6]

Parinirvana The complete ending of rebirth, cessation of suffering and perfection of happiness

Samsara The cycle of rebirth. Literally means "to wander". A process of rebirth that is repeated numerous times; reincarnation. It is referred to as endless wandering. "All living creatures are part of this cyclic movement and will continue to be reborn until they attain nirvana."[7]

Realms of rebirth There are 6 realms of rebirth, from top (most desirable) to bottom (least desirable). There is no rebirth in the five highest levels.

Sutra A teaching of Buddha.

Sources:

Adherents.com http://www.adherents.com

Buddhanet http://www.buddhanet.net

Smith, Huston. The Worlds Religions. New York: Harper One, 1991.

Visit link:
Buddhism WorldviewU

Trends since the 19th century

During the 19th and 20th centuries, Buddhism responded to new challenges and opportunities that cut across the regional religious and cultural patterns that characterized the Buddhist world in the premodern period. A number of Buddhist countries were subjected to Western rule, and even those that avoided direct conquest felt the heavy pressure of Western religious, political, economic, and cultural influences. Modern rationalistic and scientific modes of thinking, modern notions of liberal democracy and socialism, and modern patterns of capitalist economic organization were introduced and became important elements in the thought and life of Buddhists and non-Buddhists all across Asia. In addition, Buddhism returned to areas where it had previously been an important force (India is the major case in point), and it spread very rapidly into the West, where new developments took place that in turn influenced Buddhism in Asia.

Buddhists responded to this complex situation in diverse ways. In many cases they associated Buddhism with the religious and cultural identity that they sought to preserve in the face of Western domination. Buddhists used a variety of measures to meet the challenge posed by the presence of Western Christian missionaries, often adopting modern Christian practices such as the establishment of Sunday schools, the distribution of tracts, and the arrangement of worship areas so as to resemble churches and meeting houses. They also attempted to strengthen the Buddhist cause by promoting missionary activity in Asia and in the West. In the West they also adopted Christian forms of religious organization and practice, particularly in the United States. For example, the U.S. branch of Japanese Pure Land (Jdo Shinsh) Buddhism adopted the word church in its official name (Buddhist Churches of America) and established temples with worship areas resembling Protestant congregations. A number of societies were established to promote cooperation between Buddhists from all countries and denominations, including the Maha Bodhi Society (established in 1891 in order to win back Buddhist control of the pilgrimage site associated with the enlightenment of the Buddha), the World Fellowship of Buddhists (founded in 1950), and the World Buddhist Sangha Council (1966).

Four other responses deserve to be mentioned. In some situations Buddhists introduced reforms designed to make Buddhism a more appealing and effective force in the modern world. In the late 19th century, Buddhist leaders put forward a highly rationalized interpretation of Buddhism that de-emphasized the supernormal and ritualized aspects of the tradition and focused on the supposed continuity between Buddhism and modern science and on the centrality of ethics and morality. This interpretation represents, according to its proponents, a recovery of the true Buddhism of the Buddha.

Another response has been the development of so-called Engaged Buddhism. Those who identify with this cause include Asian Buddhists, such as the Vietnamese-born monk and writer Thich Nhat Hanh, and Western converts who have developed understandings of Buddhist teachings and practice that focus on the implementation of progressive social, political, and economic activity. In some cases attention has been centred on Buddhist ideas and activities that seek to foster world peace and world justice. The Buddhist Peace Fellowship (founded 1978) is one of the most-prominent organizations within this movement.

Both within Engaged Buddhism and outside it, socially active Buddhists have sought to develop Buddhist teachings as a basis for a modern democratic society. Still others have supported the development of a Buddhist-based economic system that is socially and ecologically responsible. Socially conscious Buddhists have also developed a Buddhist form of feminism and have been associated with groups that are attempting to reestablish (in the Theravada world) or to enhance (in Mahayana and Vajrayana contexts) the role of Buddhist nuns.

A third widespread pattern of Buddhist reform has involved the promotion of movements that give the laity a much stronger role than it traditionally had. In the Theravada world, lay-oriented meditation movements focusing on vipassana (Pali: insight) techniques of meditation have been successful and in some cases have found followers far beyond the borders of the Theravada community. In East Asia an anticlerical, lay-oriented trend, which appeared before the beginning of the modern period, has culminated in the formation and rapid expansion of new, thoroughly laicized Buddhist movements, particularly in Japan.

The fourth trend that can be identified stretches the usual notion of reform. This trend is exemplified in the emergence of new kinds of popular movements associated with charismatic leaders or with particular forms of practice that promise immediate success not only in religious terms but in worldly affairs as well. Since the 20th century, groups of this kind, both large and small, both tightly organized and loosely knit, have proliferated all across the Buddhist world. One example is the Dhammakaya group, a very large, well-organized, hierarchical, and commercialized sectarian group that is centred in Thailand. Sometimes labeled fundamentalist, the Dhammakaya group propagates meditational techniques that promise the immediate attainment of nirvana, as well as patterns of ritual donation that claim to ensure immediate business and financial success.

The condition of contemporary Buddhist communities and the challenges they face differ radically from area to area. There are a number of countries, for example, where previously well-established Buddhist communities have suffered severe setbacks that have curtailed their influence and seriously sapped their vitality. This situation prevails primarily in countries that are or once were ruled by communist governments that worked self-consciously to undercut Buddhist institutional power and influence. This has happened in the Mongol areas of Central Asia, in mainland China and Tibet, in North Korea, in Vietnam, in Cambodia, and in Laos. By the end of the 20th century, the pressure on Buddhist communities in many of these areas had eased, though conditions varied from country to country and from time to time. In Cambodia, Buddhism has been officially reinstated as the state religion.

A different situation exists in parts of Asia where Buddhism has remained the leading religious force and has continued to exert a strong influence on political, economic, and social life. This is the case in Sri Lanka and Myanmar, where Buddhism is the dominant religion among the Sinhalese and Burman majorities, and in Thailand, where more than 90 percent of the population is counted as Buddhist. Although in the majority, Buddhists face unique challenges in these areas. In Sri Lanka, Buddhists were divided over the proper response to the civil war (19832009) between the Sinhalese government and the Tamil Tigers, a paramilitary group that sought an independent state in the north for the primarily Hindu Tamils. In Myanmar, Buddhists confronted the profound political division between the military junta, which ruled from 1962 until 2011 and sought to legitimate its dictatorship in traditional Buddhist terms, and the democratic oppositionled by Aung San Suu Kyi, winner of the Nobel Prize for Peacewhich based its resistance on a very different version of Buddhist teaching and practice. In 2007 Buddhist monks were prominent in Myanmars so-called Saffron Revolution (named for the saffron-coloured robes traditionally worn by Theravada monks), a large demonstration in Yangon for democratic reforms that drew a harsh response from the government. That action was a catalyst helping to effect constitutional reforms in 2008 and a change in government in 2011. As the state religion of Thailand, Buddhism has retained a firm position within a relatively stable social and political order, despite deep divisions and conflicts that have developed among various groups. Buddhism is the officially recognized spiritual heritage of Bhutan, a traditionally Vajrayana Buddhist kingdom that completed its transition to parliamentary government in 2008.

A third situation occurs in societies where Buddhist traditions operate with a considerable degree of freedom and effectiveness, though Buddhisms role is circumscribed to varying degrees. This situation prevails in several of the Pacific Rim countries, including South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore, and to a lesser extent in Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia, where Buddhism is practiced by significant numbers of the large Chinese minority. The primary example, however, is Japan, where Buddhism has continued to exert an important influence. In the highly modernized society that has developed in Japan, many deeply rooted Buddhist traditions, such as Shingon, Tendai, Pure Land, and Zen, have persisted and have been adapted to changing conditions. At the same time, new Buddhist sects such as Rissh-Ksei-kai (Society for Establishing Righteousness and Friendly Relations) and Ska-gakkai (Value-Creation Society) have gained millions of converts in Japan and throughout the world. The latter, which is a variant of Nichiren Buddhism, has increased its international profile since the late 20th century under the leadership of Daiseku Ikeda.

Finally, new Buddhist communities have established roots in areas where Buddhism disappeared many centuries ago or did not exist at all before the mid-19th century. In India, for example, the Mahar Buddhist community established by B.R. Ambedkar has developed its own style of Buddhist teaching and practice that incorporates and integrates religious elements drawn from the pre-existing Mahar tradition.

In the Western world, particularly in the United States and Canada, the growth of new Buddhist communitieswhich include Buddhist immigrants from different parts of Asia, the North American-born children of immigrants, and indigenous convertshas been very rapid indeed. In these areas older Buddhist traditions have mixed and interacted in ways that have generated rapid changes in ways of thinking and in modes of practice. Many indigenous converts place greater emphasis upon the practice of meditation than upon monastic life, and since the mid-20th century a steady stream of books and other media have reflected this trend. Many other North American-born Buddhists of non-Asian descent have studied in traditional Buddhist countries, become ordained, and returned to the United States to lead and even found monasteries and Buddhist community centres. Some practicing Buddhists and scholars of Buddhism believe that the process of accomodation and acculturation in the West, and particularly in North America, is leading to a fourth turning of the Wheel of the Dharma, a new form of Buddhism that will turn out to be quite different from the traditional forms of Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana while incorporating aspects of each.

For more than two millennia, Buddhism has been a powerful religious, political, and social force, first in India, its original homeland, and then in many other lands. It remains a powerful religious, political, and cultural force in many parts of the world today. There is every reason to expect that the appeal of Buddhism will continue far on into the future.

Read more:
Buddhism - Popular religious practices | Britannica.com

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Power Vinyasa classes are donation based!

A donation is the sacred act of giving. There is a suggested donation of $10 a class. Suggested donation means that if you can put $10 in the box, please do. If you are not in a position to do so, contribute what you can. Nobody will be keeping track of individual donations. The $10 dollar donation is not meant as a bottom or a top limit if you are in a position to donate more, it will help support your yoga community. Available at St Marks, UWS, Brooklyn, San Francisco,Berkeley, and Tempe AZ

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The Nihilism of Contemporary Europe

While most of his contemporaries looked on the late nineteenthcentury with unbridled optimism, confident in the progress of science andthe rise of the German state, Nietzsche saw his age facing a fundamentalcrisis in values. With the rise of science, the Christian worldviewno longer held a prominent explanatory role in peoples lives, aview Nietzsche captures in the phrase God is dead. However, sciencedoes not introduce a new set of values to replace the Christianvalues it displaces. Nietzsche rightly foresaw that people needto identify some source of meaning and value in their lives, and ifthey could not find it in science, they would turn to aggressive nationalismand other such salves. The last thing Nietzsche would have wantedwas a return to traditional Christianity, however. Instead, he soughtto find a way out of nihilism through the creative and willful affirmationof life.

On one level, the will to power is a psychological insight:our fundamental drive is for power as realized in independence anddominance. This will is stronger than the will to survive, as martyrs willinglydie for a cause if they feel that associating themselves with thatcause gives them greater power, and it is stronger than the will tosex, as monks willingly renounce sex for the sake of a greater cause.While the will to power can manifest itself through violence andphysical dominance, Nietzsche is more interested in the sublimatedwill to power, where people turn their will to power inward andpursue self-mastery rather than mastery over others. An Indian mystic,for instance, who submits himself to all sorts of physical deprivationgains profound self-control and spiritual depth, representing amore refined form of power than the power gained by the conqueringbarbarian.

On a deeper level, the will to power explains the fundamental, changingaspect of reality. According to Nietzsche, everything is in flux,and there is no such thing as fixed being. Matter is always movingand changing, as are ideas, knowledge, truth, and everything else.The will to power is the fundamental engine of this change. For Nietzsche,the universe is primarily made up not of facts or things but ratherof wills. The idea of the human soul or ego is just a grammaticalfiction, according to Nietzsche. What we call I is really a chaoticjumble of competing wills, constantly struggling to overcome oneanother. Because change is a fundamental aspect of life, Nietzscheconsiders any point of view that takes reality to be fixed and objective,be it religious, scientific, or philosophical, as life denying.A truly life-affirming philosophy embraces change and recognizesin the will to power that change is the only constant in the world.

Nietzsche is critical of the very idea of objective truth.That we should think there is only one right way of consideringa matter is only evidence that we have become inflexible in ourthinking. Such intellectual inflexibility is a symptom of sayingno to life, a condition that Nietzsche abhors. A healthy mindis flexible and recognizes that there are many different ways ofconsidering a matter. There is no single truth but rather many.

At this point, interpreters of Nietzsche differ. Someargue that Nietzsche believes there is such a thing as truth butthat there is no single correct perspective on it. Just as we cannotget the full picture of what an elephant is like simply by lookingat its leg or looking at its tail or looking at its trunk, we cannotget a reasonable picture of any truth unless we look at it frommultiple perspectives. Others, particularly those who value Nietzschesearly essay On Truth and Lies in a Nonmoral Sense, argue thatNietzsche believes the very idea of truth to be a lie. Truth isnot an elephant that we must look at from multiple perspectivesunder this view. Rather, truth is simply the name given to the pointof view of the people who have the power to enforce their pointof view. The only reality is the will to power, and truth, likemorality, is just another fig leaf placed on top of this reality.

Throughout his work, particularly in The Antichrist, Nietzsche writesscathingly about Christianity, arguing that it is fundamentallyopposed to life. In Christian morality, Nietzsche sees an attemptto deny all those characteristics that he associates with healthylife. The concept of sin makes us ashamed of our instincts and oursexuality, the concept of faith discourages our curiosity and naturalskepticism, and the concept of pity encourages us to value and cherishweakness. Furthermore, Christian morality is based on the promiseof an afterlife, leading Christians to devalue this life in favorof the beyond. Nietzsche argues that Christianity springs from resentmentfor life and those who enjoy it, and it seeks to overthrow healthand strength with its life-denying ethic. As such, Nietzsche considersChristianity to be the hated enemy of life.

As the title of one of his books suggests, Nietzsche seeksto find a place beyond good and evil. One of Nietzsches fundamental achievementsis to expose the psychological underpinnings of morality. He showsthat our values are not themselves fixed and objective but ratherexpress a certain attitude toward life. For example, he argues thatChristian morality is fundamentally resentful and life denying,devaluing natural human instincts and promoting weakness and theidea of an afterlife, the importance of which supercedes that ofour present life. Nietzsches aim is not so much to replace Christianmorality with another morality. Rather, he aims to expose the veryconcept of morality as being a fig leaf placed on top of our fundamentalpsychological drives to make them seem more staid and respectable.By exposing morality as a fiction, Nietzsche wants to encourageus to be more honest about our drives and our motives and more realisticin the attitude we take toward life. Such honesty and realism, hecontends, would cause a fundamental revaluation of all values.Without morality, we would become an entirely different speciesof being, and a healthier species of being at that.

Nietzsche contends that humanity is a transition, nota destination. We ceased to be animals when we taught ourselvesto control our instincts for the sake of greater gains. By learningto resist some of our natural impulses, we have been able to forgecivilizations, develop knowledge, and deepen ourselves spiritually.Rather than directing our will to power outward to dominate thosearound us, we have directed it inward and gained self-mastery. However,this struggle for self-mastery is arduous, and humanity is constantly temptedto give up. Christian morality and contemporary nihilism are justtwo examples of worldviews that express the desire to give up onlife. We come to see life as blameworthy or meaningless as a wayof easing ourselves out of the struggle for self-mastery. Nietzschesconcept of the overman is the destination toward which we startedheading when we first reined in our animal instincts. The overmanhas the self-mastery that animals lack but also the untrammeledinstincts and good conscience that humans lack. The overman is profoundlyin love with life, finding nothing in it to complain about, noteven the constant suffering and struggle to which he willingly submitshimself.

While it is hard to give a definitive account of the eternalrecurrence, we can undoubtedly claim that it involves a supremeaffirmation of life. On one level, it expresses the view that timeis cyclical and that we will live every moment of our lives overand over an infinite number of times, each time exactly the same.In other words, each passing moment is not fleeting but rather echoesfor all eternity. Nietzsches ideal is to be able to embrace theeternal recurrence and live in affirmation of this idea. In otherwords, we should aim to live conscious of the fact that each momentwill be repeated infinitely, and we should feel only supreme joyat the prospect.

On another level, the doctrine of the eternal recurrenceinvolves Nietzsches distinctive metaphysical notions. Nietzschecontends that there is no such thing as being: everything is alwayschanging, always in a state of becoming. Because nothing is fixed,there are no things that we can distinguish and set apart fromother things. All of reality is intertwined, such that we cannotpass judgment on one aspect of reality without passing judgmenton all of reality. In other words, we cannot feel regret for oneaspect of our lives and joy for another because these two aspectsof our lives cannot properly be distinguished from one another.In recognizing that all of life is one indistinguishable swirl ofbecoming, we are faced with the simple choice of saying yes toall life or no to all life. Naturally, Nietzschecontends that the yes-saying attitude is preferable.

Read more:
SparkNotes: Friedrich Nietzsche (18441900): Themes, Arguments, and Ideas

eBay

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Weve all seen foods labeled organic, but what does that really mean? According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, organic farming practices preserve the environment and avoid most synthetic materials, including pesticides and antibiotics. Among other requirements, organic farmers must receive annual on-site inspections and not use genetically modified crops.

The fact is that being organic doesnt mean a food is healthy. You can now buy pesticide-free potato chips and organic jelly beans, and there are even organic Oreo cookies. Junk food is still junk food, even if it was produced organically.

You may be surprised to learn that a review of hundreds of studies found that organic produce doesnt seem to have significantly more vitamins and minerals. They do, however, appear to have more nontraditional nutrients, like polyphenol antioxidants, perhaps because conventionally grown plants given high-dose synthetic nitrogen fertilizers may divert more resources to growth rather than defense. This may be why organic berries, for example, appear to suppress cancer growth better than conventional berries in vitro.

Based on its elevated antioxidant levels, organic produce may be considered 20 to 40 percent healthier, the equivalent of adding one or two servings worth to a five-a-day regimen. But people dont just buy organic foods because theyre healthierwhat about safety?

Conventional produce appears to have twice the levels of cadmium, one of three toxic heavy metals in the food supply, along with mercury and lead. What about pesticide residues? Buying organic foods may reduce your exposure to pesticides, but not eliminate them entirely. Pesticide residues have reportedly been detected in 11 percent of organic crop samples due to accidental or fraudulent use, cross-contamination from neighboring nonorganic fields, or the lingering presence of persistent pollutants like DDT in the soil.

What about organic meat, eggs, and dairy? The USDA organic standards dont allow these animals to be fed or injected with antibiotics or steroids. All foods of animal originorganic or notnaturally contain sex steroid hormones, though, such as estrogen, but the hormones naturally found even in organic cows milk may play a role in acne, diminished male reproductive potential, and premature puberty. And, in a comparison between meat from animals raised conventionally versus organically, all conventional chicken samples were contaminated with multidrug-resistant bacteria, but the majority of organic samples were, too.

Image Credit: Jessica Spengler / Flickr. This image has been modified.

Read this article:

organic foods | Health Topics | NutritionFacts.org

Simply stated, organic produce and other ingredients are grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, genetically modified organisms, or ionizing radiation. Animals that produce meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products do not take antibiotics or growth hormones.

The USDA National Organic Program (NOP) defines organic as follows:

Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled organic, a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.

More:

Frequently Asked Questions - organic.org

Organic foods refer to vegetables, fruits, fish, dairy products and meats that are grown naturally or through organic farming, and are not processed or refined. It is one of those food sources that promote ecological balance, biodiversity conservation, and recycling of resources. In terms of chemical composition, it has 17% higher concentrations of polyphenols compared to conventional grown crops, 69% higher content in other nutrients, such as flavonols, phenolic acids and anthocyanins. It also has 69% higher flavanones.

In terms of chemical composition, studies showed that it has higher concentrations of nutrients, lower levels of anti-nutrients, and reduced detectable pesticide residues. Overall, it is not only environment friendly, but also healthy. Despite of all these, some people still question the advantages that organic foods offer. Nothing is perfect, after all. Moreover, certain countries, such as the United States, European Union and Canada, require farmers and producers to obtain certification before they can grow or market their products, which are both good and bad, depending on who you are asking. So anyone who wish to switch to organic food must weigh their advantages and disadvantages before making a decision.

1. Healthier to consumeProponents may claim that organic foods are more nutritious than the non-organic variety, but scientific studies showed that there is little difference in nutrient content, except for phosphorus and total polyphenols, which are significantly higher. Organic chicken also contains higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids than its non-organic counterparts. So what makes naturally grown foods healthier? It is the fact that they are organically farmed, free from any pesticides and herbicides that may have harmful effects. This results in a more energetic and stronger body, with a reduced risk of disorders, illness and disease.

The absence of preservatives also enables you to control and keep unnecessary weight off the weighing scale. So even if nutrient and vitamin-content doesnt have a huge difference, organic foods are healthier overall.

2. Better tastingSome non-organic foods contain additives that can alter the taste, nutritional value and may even lead to weight gain. All of these are not found on naturally grown food items, which mean taste is better and more natural. Recent studies also showed that organic food has more healthy chemicals and mineral salts that increase nutritional value and quality.

3. Higher level of antioxidantsOrganic fruits and vegetables contain 40% more antioxidants according to research. As an element that the body needs to keep the system healthy and free from disease, having more antioxidant is sure to be beneficial. This is because it reduces the risk of heart diseases, stroke and cancer. So, organic foods play a role in preventing terminal and life-threatening diseases, particularly heart problems since they also contain salicylic acid that keeps arteries from hardening.

4. Promotes a healthy familyAn article on Cord Blood Test Results showed that a newborn babys cord blood contains traces of more than 200 harmful chemicals and 21 pesticides. So it is no wonder that conventional food practices have been closely associated with birth defects, ADHD, autism, childhood leukemia, learning disorders and nervous system disorders in children. Why put yourself and your future children at risk by eating non-organic foods?

5. Safer to eatThe use of chemicals and pesticides has been linked to a wide range of diseases, such as leukemia, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, infertility, cancer of the breast and prostate, Parkinsons disease, and immune and endocrine disorders. Herbicides and fertilizers, on the other hand, can lead to immune disorders, heart diseases hypertension, cancers and other numerous diseases. So taking all of them out of the equation makes the food you eat a lot safer. Most importantly, it is nothing like genetically engineered foods or meat sources that have been given appetite enhancers and synthetic hormones.

In the United States, organic meat certification help ensure that farm animals meet the U.S. Department of Agriculture organic protocol. This enhances safety, as regulations require that animals are fed with foods that are certified organic and do not contain animal byproducts. No antibiotics or growth hormones must be used on them as well. Also, animal production must not involve genetic engineering or irradiation.

6. Protects the environmentOrganic farming uses manure instead of fertilizers, crop rotation in place of single crop, weeding for herbicides, and nitrogen-fixing plants instead of nitrogen fertilizers. Without the chemicals, growing organic foods protect the environment from pollution and contamination of nearby bodies of water. Organic farming also conserve water and soil. And, compared to conventional soils, organic soils contain more micro-organisms that store carbon in the ground, helping maintain global climate. So, when you eat organic foods and support their growth, you are, in a way, doing your share in environmental conservation.

7. Promotes improved animal reproductionResearch showed that animals that feed on organic foods reproduce more compared to their non-organic food-eating counterparts. Apparently, animals also suffer infertility due to a large consumption of food items grown with chemicals, similar to humans. This results in lower levels of reproduction.

8. Supports the local economyWhen you buy organic foods, you support local farmers and their organic farms. When the rest of the community does the same thing, there will be more farms and more jobs will be created. These, in turn, support the communitys local economy.

9. It is cheaperBuying organic food may be expensive initially, but you will save money in the long run. Remember that whole foods prevent major and minor diseases, lowering health care costs because you are unlikely to get sick and be confined in a hospital. Moreover, you wont miss work and your income will remain intact.

Once your body is accustomed to eating organic food, your taste buds and your body will develop a certain aversion to junk food, which would result in you not investing on them and be able to maintain a good and healthy weight.

Organic foods are also of high quality, which means you get exactly what you paid for. And if you still think it is too expensive for your grocery budget, you can always grow your own organic vegetable garden and then barter with other farmers. You can also try to barter goods or services in exchange for organic food.

1. More expensive It is true that you will be able to save more money with organic foods because it prevents a lot of diseases that could send you to the hospital where your finances is highly likely to be used up. But when the concern is about the cost of initial purchase, naturally grown foods turn out to be not as cheap as proponents would have you believe. Because organic farmers do not use chemicals or artificial methods to grow crops or livestock, production is much lower. Add to this the extra manual labor, and the costs of organic farming are surely elevated. The only way farmers will make a profit is to sell their products at a higher price.

2. Doesnt last longerBecause natural foods do not contain preservatives, they have shorter storage life and tend to spoil faster than conventional foods. If you have to buy them more than once or twice a week, you would have to double your grocery budget for food. In the end, you dont get to save money.

3. Not widely availableIt takes twice as long to produce organic crops than the conventional kind. This means organic foods are not always available in stores, and especially because only a few local farms are adapting organic farming. Some communities, however, are luckier than others when it comes to supply of naturally grown foods.

4. Takes a lot of workOrganic farming may have benefits, but before anything can be harvested, farmers have to go through a lot of work and face plenty of challenges. Using manure as fertilizer, for example, is difficult to apply, and even more difficult to control the mineral content. Weeding, on the other hand, is more labor intensive than using herbicides, and when nitrogen-fixing plants are used as part of crop rotation, the area available for growing crops is reduced significantly.

Crop rotation is also one of the techniques that organic farmers use, which is beneficial since it reduces plant disease and minimize damage to soil composition. Unfortunately, this results in lower production and an inefficient method of growing different types of crops.

5. Doesnt live up to the hypeOrganic foods are said to be more nutritious than the conventional kind. Unfortunately, scientific studies dont back up this particular claim. There may be certain nutrients that show significant difference but only a few, which can be a letdown, considering that proponents of organic foods use high concentration of nutrients for promotion.

In terms of the bacterial contamination, the difference is not statistically significant either. What is even surprising is that the prevalence of E.coli is higher in organic produce than its conventional counterparts, 7% and 6% respectively. Organic crops also have a 5% greater risk of being contaminated. This may have something to do with the use of manure as fertilizer. So clearly, organic foods dont live up to the hype.

Organic food certainly has many advantages, but its not all that perfect. Whether you are a consumer or farmer, it will bring pros and cons to your plate. Organic tomatoes anyone?

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14 Meaningful Advantages and Disadvantages of Organic Food

140

Food truck close to work. Had Greek Salad with chicken. fresh,flavorful, good size for price. Organic food, the salad dressing was yummy with a little kick. Good value and fit the need! Would try again, they gave burgers salads

This business is SCAMMING PEOPLE WHO CHOOSE TO EAT HEALTHY. Food was terrible and it's 100% NOT ORGANIC. I'm an organic food chef and know how organic food tastes and looks like and this was the cheapest quality GMO non organic food. From a short research seems that the owner is purposely scamming people selling non organic low quality food as organic saying how stupid Americans are that they would believe anything you tell and give them without checking. Terrible business, terrible!I will be reporting this business everywhere possible and suggest you do the same!

This place it great. Food truck was at AleSmith and my friend and I got Lobster Mac and Cheese ($12) and the Chef's Fried Rice ($6) to share. The guy working wasn't too busy and was nice enough to split the portions for us, 🙂 so we each got a plate with half of each.The rice tastes great. Very "healthy" tasting if that's your thing. Brown rice, chickpeas, some veggies, and sweet & sour sauce on top. Pretty good but not my style. I probably wouldn't get it again.The Lobster Mac and Cheese is the bombbbb. I would get it every time. The portion is huge and it's definitely restaurant quality. For $12 it's definitely worth the price!On a side note, the food truck is labeled "Grass-Fed" and "Gluten Free", and while I believe the rice is gluten free, the Mac and Cheese may not be. It tastes too good to believe the pasta can be gluten free Overall, considering I got all that food for $9 (since we split it), I would definitely recommend anyone and everyone to eat here.

I got to try their food at Alesmith Brewery. They stood out next to the typical taco truck. I got the surf & turf and tried my friend's chili. Large portions, but quality ingredients.

I love the concepts of food trucks. Anybody can apply to be a chef at some random restaurant. But, you have to love your craft to the point where you're willing to deck out an RV, take what you make to a closed set of clientele, and work in in an enclosed space under less than ideal conditions. If you can do that and still make above average food, that's pretty damned impressive.Anyway, Organic Food Truck came to my office along with a couple other choices for some event or other. After looking between menus and going back and forth, I finally opted for here and the Surf & Turf O-Burger. This consisted of organic beef, assorted greens, and an exceedingly messy helping of Grand Lobster Mac N Cheese.First off, I should note that this food truck is 'Certified Organic,' which means ... well, it doesn't really mean anything, but they probably paid a lot of money and cared enough about what they make to tout it as so. To me, the 'Organic' label never added any flavor (that's always been more of an herb and spice thing in my expertise), it's just a marketing ploy to tack on a few extra bucks to the cost as you tell people that "the beef industry just wants to make money." Typically, though, such 'organic' portions are generally smaller, to help offset the higher price, that isn't the case here.The whole Surf & Turf was very large, juicy, and sloppy as all hell. This wasn't a bad thing, such a burger was made to be eaten with a fork and spoon. The bun was a bit generic, but the meat itself was cooked perfectly to a medium-rare. Seasoning was a bit light, a bit more more salt would have been nice, but the pepperiness of the arugula mixed in with the spring greens came through. The lobster flavor in the mac and cheese was muted, there but very light. I've seen some reviews complaining that it is made with imitation crab instead of real lobster and, in all honesty, it's been too long for me to remember or differentiate that flavor or texture. In any case, it was creamy, had a nice consistency that kept everything from being too dry, and was pretty tasty.In the end, the burger was good, but not much more than that. With all the ingredients that went into making it, you would figure it should be a step or two above. And yet, I was left nodding in light admiration at my lunch, but still tinged with a shoulder shrug. I'm sure I'd try Organic Food Truck again if given the chance. There's quite a bit on the menu that seems worth eating. Until then, though, it's tough to think of this place as anymore than a strong 3 Stars.

I ordered the burger and was extremely disappointed. Not only did it fall apart as soon as I picked it up, but it was also made with cheap ingredients. This food truck advertises itself as an organic food truck but I felt that they used cafeteria grade ingredients. Definitely not worth $9, plus the guy that took my order seemed rather rude.

The Organic Food Truck draws a long line when it visits the office buildings along Towne Center Drive. Popular items are the burgers and the brussels sprouts. The brussels sprouts are listed as a side dish, but you can order some protein on top and make a complete lunch out of the combination.Somewhat randomly, I ordered the seared ahi tuna, which was served on a bed of greens. I was happy enough with this lunch and will revisit the food truck without hesitation.

I'm giving a 2-Star because I only had one experience with "The O Truck" today at Omni La Costa Resort and Spa and I don't want to seem like a total jerk. I was excited to try the Lobster Mac and Cheese. One word: Disgusting. $14 including the tip I left (I expected too much). Looked nothing like the lovely picture on the truck. The guy who took my order told me that it was only good when hot. It was still disgusting right off the truck. It was basically macaroni slop that tasted like ground up pizza with soy sauce (for some weird reason). If this is a measure of the other things they have to offer, I would recommend staying away from the truck. #Pass

The fried rice was soggy and flavorless with a sweet n sour sauce poured all over it, GROSS and not edible.The chicken, rice and brussel sprouts plate - the chicken smelled like raw chicken and undercooked with pink inside so it went in the trash. The brown rice was also undercooked and not edible. So basically I paid $12 for a side of brussel sprouts which were not bad.

People could not stop talking about how GREAT the food was at our wedding thanks to Jack and his gang! We had a simple wedding at a brewery and Organic Food truck pulled up the the brewery punctual and ready to fed hungry guests!My guests were allowed to order anything from the menu and it arrived very quick! Big hits were the burger and lobster Mac and cheese. Before it wedding, we met up with Jack and ran though ideas and options for our wedding. He was very kind and made things effortless for us. I'm so happy Organic Food Truck was part of our big day! Thanks guys!

I enjoyed a pretty good burger from this food truck but I have to question on how it was put together. I ordered the O-burgers Grass Fed Beef Burger with everything on it except mayo for $9. I asked for the burger to be cooked to a medium temp and they hit the mark pretty well. The all natural beef had good flavor and was tender and moist. The burger came with lettuce, tomatoes, and red onions, but the problem with these items was that they chopped them up. As a result, every time I went in for a bite of a burger, the tomatoes, onions, and lettuce came falling out onto the container and table below. Nicely sliced tomatoes, onions, and whole torn pieces of lettuce would of done this burger more justice.Another thing was that the quality beef deserved a better bun. They use a typical white sesame bun, which in most cases that would not be a problem, but this one was cold and dry. They should at the very least warm it up on a hot griddle to give it that nice crunch on the ends and warm moist center. The burger deserves a better bun, like a brioche or a nice bun from Sadie Rose Baking Company. The last thing, put more cheese on that burger! It was hardly noticeable. In the end, the gent in the food truck was a nice guy but I think this burger can be much better.

This food IS NOT ORGANIC! Tasted like the the lowest quality food I ever had in my life. I don't think the burger had even real meat in it and hot dog looked old and blue inside! Stay away, I know how organic food tastes like and this is not it, this is A SCAM!

Not good quality! Had the surf & turf burger recommended by the guy in the window. We ordered med-rare, came out extra well done & dry. There was no lobster or lobster flavor in the mac. Kinda had a salad on it too. None of it good!

This is the most disgusting food I've ever had. None of it looks homemade at all. It all looks store bought and just thrown together. When you think of organic you think of healthy and fresh and that's not at all what we got. The lady inside was unprofessional and gave a super weird vibe out.

The guys I ordered the food from warned me the Lobster Mac and cheese was "not for everyone". But it was absolutely for us! Was so amazing and a must order! They were really nice and the food was quick and outstanding!

This truck stops at my work place several times a month. Good quality food, and the customer service is very delightful. However, One single hamburger cost you $9 dollars which I though was a bit expensive. But they say all organic food is expensive anyways, if you are into the whole organic concept they you will love their food.

I love this food truck, even better that it's organic ingredients! Just takes some guilty out of eating out. I had the surf and turf to try the lobster Mac and cheese and the burger, the serving was huge! The burger patty was two layers and super delicious. The Mac and cheese were a little salty so I probably won't get it alone next time. Overall very good value for food trucks

Gross. Got the lobster mac and cheese and it was like soup. Tried it and nearly threw up. Not worth the $12 at all.

Great food. We plan our visit to Orfila Winery for whenever this truck is there. Try the potatoes and the burger

We have a different "gourmet" food truck show up at lunch at work every day, and Organic is probably my favorite, mostly because of the lamb chops and brussels sprouts (with brown rice). But they have a great variety of chicken, fish and veggie choices too. Delicious and healthy!

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Organic Food Truck - 76 Photos & 140 Reviews - Food Trucks ...

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Healing Music for Meditation and Well Being - Perfect for ...