| Many people in America have started buying | | | | that the organic foods you purchase contain no |
| organic foods. Organic food sales have shot up | | | | synthetic pesticides and no added chemicals. |
| from $180 million in 1980 to over $6.5 billion last | | | | Organic farmers will also use no genetic |
| year, not only in health food stores but in grocery | | | | engineering, no irradiation and no sewage |
| stores as well. Actually, grocery stores sales | | | | fertilization. Additionally, live-stock raised under |
| made up fifty-six percent of organic food sales in | | | | these standards will be given 100 percent organic |
| the past year. Although organic food sales only | | | | feed and will not be treated with antibiotics. |
| make up two percent of national food sales, the | | | | Before the standardization, consumers often had |
| organic market has definitely begun soaring, | | | | to trust misleading labeling claims on organic |
| especially on Wall Street. Experts expect the | | | | products. Even with the new standards, the |
| figure to more than double by the year 2010. The | | | | question is whether it is worth it to purchase |
| USDA has finally released an official definition of | | | | organic. Americans who consume organic foods |
| what qualifies as "organic" food in response to the | | | | often have substantially higher monthly grocery |
| great increase in sales. It is also developing labeling | | | | costs. Actually, in 1998 average costs of organic |
| standards which should be in effect by this | | | | foods were fifty-seven percent higher than |
| summer. Up until the past couple of months, a | | | | conventional foods. Additionally, a recent report on |
| definition of what actually qualifies as organic | | | | 20/20 stated that organic foods contain |
| foods did not even exist. Throughout the past | | | | dangerous bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella. |
| decade farmers and conventional farming | | | | However, more and more doctors believe that |
| organizations have been debating the need for | | | | organic foods are safe and are well worth the |
| federal organic labeling. Fear that the organic labels | | | | additional cost. Those doctors who support |
| would create an unfair bias against conventional | | | | organic eating often believe that the cumulative |
| products kept conventional farmers from | | | | effects of toxins in our food, water, and air can |
| encouraging labeling. In December, the Grocery | | | | be extremely harmful to our health. They also |
| Manufactures of America actually complained | | | | believe that anything we can do to reduce the |
| about the new organic standards, claiming that the | | | | toxins is well worth it. |
| new labels will mislead consumers into believing | | | | If you only have a small budget but would like to |
| that organic products are safer and more | | | | go organic, there are still some things you can do. |
| nutritious. The agricultural secretary denies the | | | | Some foods are more known for pesticide |
| accusation of bias stating that although the | | | | residue than others. Start with buying these if you |
| organic seal will give more validity to organic | | | | can only buy limited amounts of organic foods. |
| products, the seal will not imply that organic foods | | | | Citrus foods are usually not a high risk because of |
| are safer or more nutritious. Of course, users of | | | | their thick skins, as well as asparagus, bananas, |
| organic foods often believe that organic foods are | | | | broccoli cauliflower, cherries, corn, onions, |
| safer, since they contain fewer pesticides, more | | | | pineapple, sweet peas, and watermelon. These |
| nutritious because they contain more trace | | | | are considered by the FDA and EPA to be the |
| minerals and nutrients, and also better for the | | | | ten cleanest foods. Additionally, make sure to |
| environment because organic growing practices | | | | wash all the produce you buy, whether or not it is |
| are kinder to the soil, sky, and water. | | | | organic. You can regularly take an antioxidant |
| The new USDA standards mean you will get | | | | supplement which will help the body to remove |
| better organic food for your buck due to an | | | | any toxins that are on the produce. Most |
| official and national standard for what foods can | | | | importantly, be sure to keep eating fruits and |
| be called organic. You will now know with certainty | | | | vegetables, as they are essential to good health. |