Before you buy organic or natural foods, see what today's food experts told us about making smart food choices.
To get to your plate, most food travels
over 1,000 miles—even organic food. Check the labels or ask the market
manager to figure out the origin of your organic produce, and try to buy
local. In addition to helping the environment, shopping local keeps
dollars in your community. Note: Even if a local, small farm isn't
certified organic, many of them use organic methods.
Before World War II, all crops were
organic. It was only afterward that farms used new, synthetic pesticides
and chemicals to minimize weed, insects, and rodent damage. What's not
new? Many worry about the long-term effects of ingesting chemical
residues from "conventional" produce (i.e., sprayed crops), as well as
the impact these treatments have had on our planet and our resources.
Organic isn't just for the rich.
Many are making efforts to help everyone access organic food, from giant companies like Walmart to local non-profits like Growing Power, a Milwaukee community garden that helps thousands of area residents buy affordable, sustainable food.
78% of U.S. families buy some organic food.
Yet according to the Organic Trade
Association, even though sales of organic food and beverages have
grown from $1 billion in 1990 to an estimated $29 billion in 2011, that
only represents 4.2% of all food sold in the U.S.
Everyone can eat an organic diet.
One popular criticism is that farmers
can't grow enough to supply organic food for all. It's true that if
everyone needed to eat organic meat in quantity, it would be difficult
for today's agribusiness to produce enough organic feed to nourish the
livestock. That said, if people ate less meat, and we had a large-scale
shift in thinking, it would be possible for our lands to be developed to
yield organic produce as they did before World War II. Also, we'd
probably go farther in the fight against hunger.
If you think [insert organic granola bar name here is a cute little artisan line, think again.
The majority of organic brands you see in
the grocery aisle are owned by giant corporations. Bear Naked? Kashi?
Morningstar Farms? Kellogg. Naked juice? Pepsi. Odwalla? Coca Cola.
LaraBar? Cascadian Farm? General Mills. And the latest is the
acquisition of Bolthouse Farms by Campbell Soup Company for over $1.5
billion.
Organic could still come from China.
To get to your plate, most food travels
over 1,000 miles—even organic food. Check the labels or ask the market
manager to figure out the origin of your organic produce, and try to buy
local. In addition to helping the environment, shopping local keeps
dollars in your community. Note: Even if a local, small farm isn't
certified organic, many of them use organic methods.
Organic meat isn't always grass fed or free range.
According to the USDA: "Organic meat,
poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no
antibiotics or growth hormones," which helps cut down the levels you
ingest. (People who eat conventional meats usually have traces of 12 to
15 different antibiotics in their bloodstream at any time.) However,
organic doesn't mean the animals ate grass and roamed a pasture; it
could just mean they're fed organic corn as opposed to genetically
modified corn. Ask questions before you buy.
Skip labels that call seafood organic.
When it comes to fish and ocean life,
there are no federal regulations that makes something "sustainable" or
"organic." So if you see seafood marked as such, be wary: It's not
required on a state or federal basis to meet any specific standards, it
hasn't been tested for toxicity, and it's probably more expensive.
Organic is not about superfoods.
A recent Stanford meta-analysis claimed that "eating organic doesn't give you any health benefits,"
which caused a lot of commentary on whether organic was better for you.
However, researchers honed in on nutrient makeup without examining
pesticide residue and antibiotic resistance. They also left out the
bigger picture: Organic farming systems replenish soil and protect
important resources like water, compared to conventional farming which
can contaminate soil and water with chemicals and nitrogen.
Know the "Dirty Dozen"? Meet the "Clean 15."
If you pick conventional produce, the Environmental Working Group came up with the "Clean 15" (low-pesticide residue on conventional crops) and the “Dirty Dozen"
(highest pesticide residue, might make more sense to buy organic).
Remember that eating fruits and vegetables, however they're grown, is
far better than skipping them completely.
Processed food that's organic is still processed food.
If a food comes out of a box and is
labeled organic, it means it's healthier only in that it was minimally
produced without artificial ingredients, preservatives, or irradiation.
And you can feel good that workers, animals, and the environment were
all treated better in the process. However, it might not be
nutritionally better for you!
"Conventional" farming isn't sustainable.
Chemical fertilizers are only so
successful in controlling pests before they develop tolerances. Then,
new stronger formulas need to be developed, which eventually taps out
our soils. The short-term gains of conventional farming (ie, cheaper
prices) are actually reducing our chances to return to organic methods.
Organic seeds are in danger.
Four of the world’s largest agrochemical
companies own a whopping 50% of the world’s farmed seeds—and they aren't
breeding them for organic conditions. Just as we need to think about
the soils, we also need to think about the seeds; conserving and
developing crop genetic diversity is essential.
Less than 1% of all American crops are organic.
Based on the most recent data collected from Organic-World.Net, only .6% of American crops are organic and without genetic modification.
Organic crops are less likely to be buggy.
Because the soil is nourished by natural
methods, the crops are better equipped to resist disease and insects.
When pests get out of hand, organic farmers rely on natural options like
insect predators, traps, and mating disruption to get rid of them and
restore balance to their land.
"Organic" doesn't mean 100% organic.
According to the USDA, unless it says
"100% organic," any item labeled "organic" only needs 95% of its
ingredients to have been organically grown. Also, some ingredients are
exempt from the definition because they are "too difficult to source
organically," including foods using sausage castings, some coloring,
celery powder, sausage casings, and fish oils.
Calling your food "natural" is easier than getting an "organic" seal of approval.
Organic foods undergo intense USDA
regulations: No synthetic fertilizers, synthetic growth and breeding
hormones, antibiotics, and GMOs; any pesticides used must be natural. It
takes three years, and thousands of dollars in fees, for farms to go
organic. Once certified, farmers get regular inspections, keep detailed
logs and must stay prepared for surprise visits to test their soil and water. “Natural” foods don't have such rigorous scrutiny.
Organic crops aren't just for food.
Everything from t-shirts to napkins and
cosmetic puffs can be purchased as certified organic products that are
made from organic fiber. Organic flowers and organic furniture are also
rising in popularity, too.
Sources: Organic Valley; Brendan Brazier, Best selling author of Thrive, Formulator of Vega; USDA; Organicnewsroom.com; Jenny Gensterblum, Chef at Léman Manhattan Preparatory School; HappyFamily,Tara DelloIacono Thies,registered dietitian and nutritionist at Clif Bar & Company; University of California at Berkeley; countdownyourcarbon.org,omorganics.org; Carrie Brownstein, Seafood Quality Standards Coordinator at Whole Foods; thedailygreen.com.
Source:
www.rd.com
worldtruth.tv
Follow us on facebook and be updated!
http://www.facebook.com/shortcuttingblog
Follow us on facebook and be updated!
http://www.facebook.com/shortcuttingblog
~
