WHY BUY ORGANIC?
Published by Sam's Club June/July 07 issue of Source magazine
Written by Jody Norman
Once upon a time, we only had to wsh a little dirt off our produce in order to feel certain we were eating clean food. Now, however, we worry about hormones, pesticides, chemcial fertilizers, genetic modifications and more. Luckily, today's health conscious buyer can take comfort in one singel word: Organic.
What is Organic?
Organic foods consist of crops grown without genetic modifications and without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers or waste materials suchas sewage sludge. Organic also means meat, poultry, eggs and dairy from animals that are raised without hormones or antibiotics, and fed on "natural" pasture rather than on feed enhanced by slaughterhouse waste.
"I think buying organic is a vote for a different method of production," said Carl Winter, a food toxicologist at the University of California-Davis and a food science communicator for the Institute of Food Technologists in Chicago.
"One of the major differences in this new method of production," he said, " is its regional quality. Organic food often is grown locally, encouraging the money that consumers spend on produce to stay within the community. The local flavor of organic produce also tends to lower the distribution costs associated with transporting food from farm to store and results in lower gas consumption and less air pollution because the journey is so much shorter."
Buying organic food supports environmental protection in other ways as well. Consumers who buy organic invest in cleaner water and air through their support of a farming system that relies on natural mehtods of pest control. As such, pesticides do not seep into groundwater or spread into local rivers and lakes. "Pesticide residues are commonly found on crops, so for the consumer interested in reducing their pesticde load, organic is it," said Nell Newman, co-founder and president of Newman's Own Organics.
Of course, organic foods are good for consumers, too. An apple grown and harvested conventionally can have as many as 36 different pesticides sprayed on it, according to the Washington, D.C. -based Environmental Working Group (EWG), which cites government research. "If people knew how their food was grown, they'd be willing to pay the extra money on organic," Newman said.
What to Buy
The key to identifying organic food while grocery shopping is the USDA organic seal, which certifies that the food item which bear its seal are organic. The seal, however, is voluntary, so knowing common organic brands helps.
Consumers who want to buy organic can identify many organic foods by studying their labels. Organic produce for instance, has a five-digit number on it that begins with the number nine, while conventional produce has a four-digit number. Consumers must also be aware of verbiage on signs and should remember that Natural and organic are not interchangeable.
So the next time you're at Sam's club, remember that making organic purchases supports healthy environments, healthy families and healthy communities.
NOTE: A foot note to this article reveals:
Only foods certified as at least 95% percent organic (i.e. produced almost entirely free of pesticdes, toxic fertilizers, growth hormones and antibiotics) are allowed to carry the official "USDA ORGANIC" seal.
I'd prefer that number was 100%! Also don't fall for the Organic refined ingredients. Refined is still refined, even if it is organic. Your body will have a hard time breaking down, assimulating and absorbing refined ingredients whether they are organic or not.
Written by Jody Norman
Once upon a time, we only had to wsh a little dirt off our produce in order to feel certain we were eating clean food. Now, however, we worry about hormones, pesticides, chemcial fertilizers, genetic modifications and more. Luckily, today's health conscious buyer can take comfort in one singel word: Organic.
What is Organic?
Organic foods consist of crops grown without genetic modifications and without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers or waste materials suchas sewage sludge. Organic also means meat, poultry, eggs and dairy from animals that are raised without hormones or antibiotics, and fed on "natural" pasture rather than on feed enhanced by slaughterhouse waste.
"I think buying organic is a vote for a different method of production," said Carl Winter, a food toxicologist at the University of California-Davis and a food science communicator for the Institute of Food Technologists in Chicago.
"One of the major differences in this new method of production," he said, " is its regional quality. Organic food often is grown locally, encouraging the money that consumers spend on produce to stay within the community. The local flavor of organic produce also tends to lower the distribution costs associated with transporting food from farm to store and results in lower gas consumption and less air pollution because the journey is so much shorter."
Buying organic food supports environmental protection in other ways as well. Consumers who buy organic invest in cleaner water and air through their support of a farming system that relies on natural mehtods of pest control. As such, pesticides do not seep into groundwater or spread into local rivers and lakes. "Pesticide residues are commonly found on crops, so for the consumer interested in reducing their pesticde load, organic is it," said Nell Newman, co-founder and president of Newman's Own Organics.
Of course, organic foods are good for consumers, too. An apple grown and harvested conventionally can have as many as 36 different pesticides sprayed on it, according to the Washington, D.C. -based Environmental Working Group (EWG), which cites government research. "If people knew how their food was grown, they'd be willing to pay the extra money on organic," Newman said.
What to Buy
The key to identifying organic food while grocery shopping is the USDA organic seal, which certifies that the food item which bear its seal are organic. The seal, however, is voluntary, so knowing common organic brands helps.
Consumers who want to buy organic can identify many organic foods by studying their labels. Organic produce for instance, has a five-digit number on it that begins with the number nine, while conventional produce has a four-digit number. Consumers must also be aware of verbiage on signs and should remember that Natural and organic are not interchangeable.
So the next time you're at Sam's club, remember that making organic purchases supports healthy environments, healthy families and healthy communities.
NOTE: A foot note to this article reveals:
Only foods certified as at least 95% percent organic (i.e. produced almost entirely free of pesticdes, toxic fertilizers, growth hormones and antibiotics) are allowed to carry the official "USDA ORGANIC" seal.
I'd prefer that number was 100%! Also don't fall for the Organic refined ingredients. Refined is still refined, even if it is organic. Your body will have a hard time breaking down, assimulating and absorbing refined ingredients whether they are organic or not.
With that in mind, whether you buy organic fruits and vegetables or not, wash all your Fruits and Veggies in Nature's Sunshine's Sunshine Concentrate all purpose soap. This will help you to remove all residue off the skin of the fresh produce.
Visit my NSP Store: www.mynsp.com/herbsplus
posted by Karen Herrmann-DeSantis, Herb Specialist, Natural Health Educator | 11:52 PM
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