Organic ingredients have many health advantages beyond reduced exposure to synthetic chemicals; they also support small-scale farmers while being more sustainable, helping prevent land degradation and maintaining local communities’ wellbeing.
Be aware that “organic” is regulated by law and should not be confused with labels like natural or free-range. An item designated “organic” has more than 70% certified organic ingredients and displays the USDA seal for verification.
Benefits
Organic foods tend to be less processed, retaining more of their original vitamins and minerals while being lower in contaminants like pesticides. Furthermore, organic farming practices help protect biodiversity while using water more efficiently – with increased demand for organic ingredients helping support farmers and rural economies alike.
Organic farming practices have been shown to improve air quality while decreasing greenhouse gas emissions – providing additional environmental benefits. Eating organic may help protect you against neurodevelopmental disorders, obesity and respiratory illness caused by conventional pesticides. Furthermore, their reduced greenhouse gas emissions make organic farms better for the planet than their conventional counterparts.
Unfortunately, no scientific studies have compared human health outcomes of those consuming exclusively organic foods with those following a balanced diet. Furthermore, due to limited access of organic produce in many parts of the world, maintaining an all-organic diet can be challenging. Furthermore, using organic ingredients doesn’t guarantee living healthily; snacking on high sugar, salt, and fat packaged goods may compromise overall wellness.
Cost
Organic ingredients have additional costs associated with them. While their prices might be more costly initially, there are “hidden costs” of purchasing such food such as the energy consumed in production and transport; pollution caused by agricultural chemicals; health concerns related to eating processed junk foods loaded with sugar, salt, fat and calories.
Organic production requires more labor intensive processes than conventional farming, meaning crops may not grow as quickly or yield as many yields. Furthermore, certification costs can be costly while organic feed for animals may cost double what traditional feed does.
To qualify as organic, a product must contain at least 95% certified organic ingredients; alternatively, the term “made with organic” can be applied if only 70% are organic. You’re sure to find great deals when shopping organic during seasonal sales! Consider visiting local farmers markets and/or joining a community supported agriculture (CSA) farm, where families/individuals purchase “shares” of food directly from farmers each week.
Ingredients
When searching for organic products, look for products labelled 100% organic or simply “organic.” This signifies that all ingredients have been certified as certified organic. In the US, “made with organic” or “organic ingredients” denote at least 70% of its ingredients being organic with any other elements grown without synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers and manufactured without using any substances prohibited on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances.
Personal care products containing organic ingredients certified to the COSMOS standard should be selected. This North American national standard allows certain chemical processes necessary for product creation – including saponification of soaps that create lather that makes these products effective cleansers. Although these products don’t display an USDA seal or list “organic” on their main display panel, they may contain certified organic ingredients in their ingredient lists.
Labeling
Organic food in the US is subject to government oversight, and can only be labeled organic if it fulfills certain requirements, such as avoiding synthetic chemicals and Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). All products must also undergo inspection by an organic certification body before being labeled organic.
Organic labels are an essential marketing tool for organic products, as they convey consumer expectations regarding organic farming and handling standards. Furthermore, the organic label can aid smaller farmers and traditional farming techniques while benefiting larger corporations that acquire small farms. Unfortunately, large corporations could compromise this potential benefit of certification through acquisition.
Products labeled organic must contain at least 70 percent organic ingredients; those not certified can still list organic ingredients on their labels without using the USDA seal or wording such as “organic.” Furthermore, all certified farms and processors must source all organic foods. For more information about organic standards please refer to the USDA website.
