How to Buy Organic Foods

Our family has been researching and purchasing organics and healthy food for the past ten years. From our extensive research, we have learned that what the company attempts to convince you to believe is not always what you get. The best way to feed your family healthy is to know what the label means. Here are some essential tips to recognizing the difference between healthy organic food and companies that would like you to think their product is healthy.

What does the term "Organic" mean?
Many companies have a label that indicates the product is organic. Organic simply means that the organic fruit and organic vegetables used in the product were grown without pesticides. Many people buy organic because they know it is good for them without understanding exactly what it means. Organic food is what people in 1940's always bought. Since most food (if not all) wasn't grown with pesticides, herbicides and harmful chemicals, those who grew up in the early and mid 1900's never ate chemical laden food. Therefore all fruit and vegetables were organic.

100% Organic Vs. Organic
When buying organic foods it is important to read the label. The label will indicate whether a product is organic or 100% organic. If a product is labeled "organic", it indicates at least one of the items in the product ingredient list is organic. This means an organic strawberries and banana baby food may have non-organic bananas and organic strawberries. If you are looking for products which have all organic ingredients, you will need to look at the label closer. If all of the items in the product are 100% organic, the label will still read organic strawberries and banana baby food. In fact, the label will not look any different from the partially organic food. However, the company (such as Whole Foods Organics) will list indicators to let you know the item is made entirely from organic fruits and vegetables. For instance, if Whole Foods Organics creates a product created entirely from organic fruits and vegetables, the label will have at least one of the following: the USDA organic symbol, or it will say 100% organic or when you read the ingredient list every single fruit and vegetable will list organic in front of the name. So an organic strawberries and banana baby food ingredient list would look like: organic bananas, organic strawberries.

USDA Organic Symbol Vs. 100% Organic
Few consumers understand that although that there can be a difference between certified USDA organic food (stamped with the symbol) and products which state 100% organic. In order for a company to have the USDA symbol, they must pay a small fee and have their product checked on a regular basis. There are strict guidelines a company must follow to have the USDA Organic symbol. The USDA guidelines also state (at the time this article was written) that a product must also not include any genetically modified ingredients in order to qualify for the symbol. On the other hand, many companies that state 100% Organic due follow the USDA practices when it comes to food. However, if a product says "100% Organic" it only indicates the product does not include pesticides and it does not indicate whether or not the product has genetically modified food ingredients.

100% Organic that is Non-GMO
If a product does not include genetically modified ingredients but the company has not registered for an USDA organic symbol, the product will often state two things on the label "100% Organic" and "Non-GMO". This indicates the company is trying to follow the standard set by USDA without incurring the cost of the testing. The only concern with a product marked "100% Organic" and "Non-GMO" is that the company is probably not testing their products and therefore the company does not know whether or not an organic fruit or vegetable was cross-pollinated with a genetically modified species in a crop nearby. If you want to be sure that all of the fruit and vegetables you eat are organic, you will look for the USDA Organic symbol somewhere on the front of the label (it is a green and white round symbol). This is currently the most reliable way to know the product you are eating is not genetically modified and organic.

Natural Vs. Organic
If a product is labeled natural it means it meets the criteria for "natural" set by the FDA. This list includes a long list of natural ingredients and chemicals. Natural doesn't indicate healthy. As I said before, organic only indicates that a product does not have fruits and vegetables grown with pesticides and herbicides. It does not indicate whether or not the product is healthy to eat. Although many organic products also use food that is more healthy than their competition, it is still important to check the ingredient list if you want to ensure the product is healthy.

Happy Eating!
With these tips in mind, you will know how to check the label of your favorite organic food products to see what the quality of the product is you are buying. Next time you visit a Whole Foods Organics store, be sure to keep these tips in mind. They will help you be a savvy organic foods buyer and buy the best and healthiest meal for your family.