| With our increasingly toxic environment, more and | | | | Now for fruits and vegetables it is a different |
| more people are opting for organic food. But | | | | matter. A number system has been developed to |
| unless you really understand the labels on food | | | | identify organic produce, as well as produce |
| you may not be getting the real deal! | | | | grown the commercial way, with pesticides and |
| First of all people can get confused with, All | | | | chemicals. In most grocery stores there is a |
| Natural, and Organic. The USDA's National Organic | | | | section set aside for organic foods but in the |
| Standards does not regulate the term Natural | | | | produce aisle you can also find organic. You just |
| when it comes to fruits and vegetables, however, | | | | have to know what to look for. There is an oval |
| the Food Safety and Inspection Services does | | | | sticker on the produce and it will have either 4 or |
| regulate the term all natural when it comes to | | | | 5 digits on it. |
| meat. When a cut of meat is labeled All Natural, it | | | | Example: A tangerine might read 4053. Anything |
| simply means that it has not been injected to | | | | that starts with a 3 or 4 means that is was |
| make it juicier or plumper and color and | | | | grown with pesticides and chemicals. |
| preservatives have not been added and has been | | | | A 5 digit number, denotes it was grown |
| minimally processed. It may or may not be | | | | organically. Example; an organic tangerine would |
| organic. | | | | read 94053. If you have a 5 digit number that |
| The problem here is that there are different | | | | starts with 9, you have organic produce. |
| types of farms. There are feed farms where | | | | There is another set of numbers that personally |
| cattle are kept indoors and are fed unnatural | | | | scare me and that is a 5 digit number that starts |
| grains. These farms need to give their cattle | | | | with 8. Example; a tangerine labeled 84053. That |
| antibiotics because of the high disease rate. | | | | would be a tangerine that was genetically |
| Growth hormones are often used to make them | | | | engineered. There is a growing wave of concern |
| fatter. They may be eating organic grains but that | | | | about genetically modified food. More studies need |
| does not mean you are getting the healthiest | | | | to be done on this. |
| meat. | | | | There are standards for organic as well. The best |
| The best meat is where livestock is on free | | | | is when you read the term "100% organic"! This |
| roaming farms where the farm itself has been | | | | means that every aspect from growing and |
| certified organic and the cows are eating a true | | | | products used are in fact 100% certified organic. |
| and natural diet. The environment for them is | | | | Then there is just the term, "Organic". This could |
| calm and nature runs its course with them. | | | | be 95 to 97% organic. |
| Livestock that is in an enclosed or feed farm can | | | | Now that we know the difference between |
| be much more stressed. | | | | natural and organic, and what the stickers at the |
| The problem with eating meat that has been | | | | grocery store means, we as a population are |
| injected with hormones is that it can make you | | | | better educated about our food supply and |
| fat. It makes the cattle fat and possibly you too! | | | | healthier decisions can be made. |
| That goes for dairy as well. You may have | | | | Certified organic foods have a higher nutrient |
| noticed over the last decade that girls are | | | | content and higher antioxidant capacity. That alone |
| developing at younger and younger ages. There | | | | is a good reason to go organic. It may cost more |
| has been some research that has been done | | | | but would be worth it. |
| which suggests that hormones from meat and | | | | Want to be healthier? Eat Organic and see if you |
| dairy may be responsible for this, although more | | | | notice the difference! |
| testing needs to be done. | | | | |