There is no doubt, going organic is one of the best things you can do for your own health and the health of the planet. We are extremely proud to operate a 100% certified USDA organic facility - meaning every ingredient that comes in, and every product that goes out, is certified organic. Our organic status is more than just a standard, it's one of the core values of our company. It's essential to who we are. It means we can guarantee that all of our products, from our raw chocolate treats and stone ground nut butters, to our superfood and probiotic supplements, are not only delightful to eat, but are also free chemicals that not only harm those who eat them, but the planet itself.

In honor of Earth Day, we are highlighting our top 8 reasons why choosing organic is so essential.

1. Just Say No to GMO

With traces of genetically modified ingredients now found in up to 75% of processed conventional foods, it is no wonder that more people are turning to certified organic foods as a way to avoid exposure to GMO's. Organic standards prohibit the use of GMO's in all foods labeled as organic. When you buy organic you are giving a big fat thumbs down to GMO's.

2. Less Toxicity = Less Disease

When food is grown organically, it is done so without the use of pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics, and chemical fertilizers. While it's pretty impossible to avoid exposure to all chemicals in this day in age, we really should't be directly consuming them in the foods we eat. It's one area we do have control over, and should take advantage of that. A chronic exposure to chemicals can lead to a build up of toxicity, setting the body up for a myriad of disease. Our organs can only detox so much.

3. Less Environmental Pollution

24 billion pounds of chemical fertilizers get dumped on non-organic farms every year in the USA alone. These chemicals contaminate our drinking water, kill off wildlife both on land in the water, and also release astonishing levels of nitrous oxide - one of the leading greenhouse gases responsible for global warming.

4. Antibiotic-Free

Even if you don't choose to consume animal products, the increasing levels of antiobiotics found within meat and dairy products may still be negatively impacting your own health. The overuse of antibiotics to keep unhealthy animals well has shown to foster antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria and viruses, which can be stronger and harder to treat if they infect other forms of life.

5. No Irradiation

As if chemicals and antibiotics weren't enough, conventionally grown food can also be subjected to irradiation via nuclear waste or electron beams. This process is done to extend shelf life and reduce micro-organisms such as bacteria, however, it also kills vital nutrients and produces unsafe chemical compounds.

6. Less Food Poisoning

While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention do cite millions of cases of food poisoning per year in America, very few cases are linked to organics. Dangerous pathogenic bacteria such a e-coli and salmonella originate in animal fecal matter - which then contaminates animal products coming out of factory farms and slaughterhouses. The bacteria in these contaminated products can then spread to other foods in processing and co-packing plants. The gist - know where your food is coming from, and choose ORGANIC.

7. More Nutritious

Studies have found that organic foods are actually more nutrient-dense, containing more vitamins, free radical scavenging antioxidants, and important trace minerals, because organic farming does vastly more to help build up a rich topsoil. Which brings us to our last (but not least!) benefit:

8. It Tastes So Much Better

The increased level of nutrients within organic food, and the lack of chemicals, means organic foods actually taste better. For instance, lettuce grown in healthy, balanced soil that's packed full of trace minerals, will contain more trace minerals as well, meaning it will taste sweeter to the pallate. Organic food also wont have any strange chemical flavors from pesticide residue or additives. Those taste buds know best!

Your dollar is your vote

Every time you make an organic purchase, you're saying YES to all of these benefits, helping protect future generations from disease, and protect our planet and all of the beautiful life it hosts. You're also saying NO to huge GMO and chemical companies, and are instead helping to finance the efforts of farmers and food producers who want to see people genuinely healthy and not just surviving, but THRIVING.

Head on over to our retail shop at RawGuru.com and save 20% on all of our Rawmio chocolate (including our brand new ESSENTIALS bars!) now through Sunday with code EARTH. Enjoy and Happy Earth Day!