Sessa from Maine has questions about organic

I have tried to educate myself on how to read a label on food items and what
different terms mean.  I know there is a difference between the “all
natural” label, the one that claims to be organic, (but only a certain
percentage of the ingredients are), and the USDA Organic label.  It still
gets a little confusing.  Also, if one can’t afford to buy organic exclusively, then which products would you recommend buying organic if you had to choose?  I think you mentioned that when you talked about apples at one
point.  There is just so much info and marketing that consumers are inundated with, it can be overwhelming.  A little help would be greatly appreciated. Also, buying local versus organic…which comes first?

Thanks,
Sessa

These are great questions and you are right to be confused! Particularly because there is a “new math” when it comes to labeling where zero often means a percentage and every resource seems to have a slightly different answer.  Here are the answers in a nutshell:

• The USDA ORGANIC seal is a voluntary seal, and one that costs money. Therefore, something can be organic without displaying this. This is important when shopping at local farmer’s markets as many farmers use organic practices but are not certified organic. You should always talk to your growers. As far as foods in the grocery store,  it means different things on different products. If it is on a single item- such as fruit and vegetables, it must be grown without pesticides. fertilizers, genetic modification or irradiation.  If it is on meat, eggs or dairy, the animals must be raised on 100% feed, no antibiotics or hormones, and given access to pasture, although from my understanding- when it comes to chickens, there is no regulation and it could be 5 minutes. On multiple ingredient foods  it means that the ingredients are grown without pesticides, fertilizers, genetically modified ingredients,  or, irradiation.
• Organic- must have no less than 95% certified organic ingredients. These foods can display USDA label.
• 100% organic- must be 100% certified organic- These food can display USDA label.
• Made with organic ingredients – must have 70-3o split of certified organic and non-organic ingredients. These products cannot display label.
• If the product has less than 70%, it can only have the word organic in the label and cannot display the USDA seal.
• The term natural is all over the place in its definitions. It generally means without artificial coloring and preservatives- and on meat also can mean minimally processed. The food industry considers anything derived from a natural source natural- including MSG and High Fructose corn syrup- even though they have been altered. Basically, definitions are loose and it is a marketing word more than anything else. I would be wary of this label.

When it comes to buying organic- EWG has a great shoppers guide that tells you the best fruits and vegetables to buy. This can be printed and carried put in your wallet. You can find it here. (You are correct, apples are one of the worst offenders!)

As far as what else to buy, I try to buy as much as possible. However, remember, just because it is organic does not mean it is healthy. Check your labels. (post on that soon!) Look for ingredients you recognize and minimal ingredients. In my opinion meat and dairy are on the top of my list for organic. I would even go a step further and look for grass-fed dairy, and pastured beef. The nutritional quality of these products are far superior to the conventional (see Dr. She-treat Klein’s post), and the factory farming is downright awful for the animals and the environment!

As far as local vs. organic- you often can do both. Again, by visiting farmer’s markets or natural food stores, you may be able to find local farmers who also practice organic farming methods. If not, this has to be a personal choice. For foods at the top of my pesticide list (again see EWG’s produce list) I chose organic even when not local. We love apples in the fall and due to our climate it is nearly impossible to grow without pesticides. Therefore, I buy organic because I do not want the toxic load in my little ones. For others that are negligible- I will buy local.  It really is personal choice.

Once you know these things- it can almost be more confusing! I DO shop at many different places because these are things that are important to me. I have had to find a way to simplify the weekly shop and be very clear about where I get what. More work- but my family’s health, both physical and mental, reflect the positive outcomes of this sometimes inconvenient way of doing things!

The definitions of all that you have asked are constantly changing and it is hard to keep up with. I hope this clarified a little. If any one has anything to chime in, we would appreciate any help in navigating the tricky path through our current food system.