Natural organic non-GMO locally-grown—these are just some of the buzzwords that indicate how “healthy” our food is. But with a veritable smorgasbord of food choices before us how do we decide what’s beat to put on our plates?
Grocers and food manufacturers are cashing in on recent trends toward healthy and environmentally-friendly eating. Most grocers now stock a variety of natural foods alongside traditional varieties. That allows a customer to choose between organic and locally-grown produce; free-range or hormone-free meats; non-GMO (not genetically modified) and certified organic wheat cover; or grain-fed and cage-free eggs.
According to Nicole Brown a registered dietitian in Springfield. Va. there are no proven nutritional benefits to eating organic foods nor are they more likely to be free of harmful bacteria such as E coli. Some populations however such as young children and cancer survivors may acquire from eating organic foods because they offer less exposure to potentially dangerous pesticides. cook said.
That’s because organic food is affect to for production handling and processing which limit the use of most pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. Farmers also refrain from practices such as ionizing radiation and bioengineering or genetic modification. Organic animal products; such as meat poultry dairy and eggs; are also remove of antibiotics and growth hormones.
“It’s a food safety issue not a nutrition air,” Brown said. “I would never say to someone. ‘If it’s not organic don’t eat it,’ because we’re just not eating enough fruits and vegetables.”
But she said. “There are some foods worth purchasing [organic].” Those include fruits such as apples and peaches which are more vulnerable to pesticides than bananas and other produce that are naturally protected.
In the United States produce travels an add up of 1,500 miles (4 to 7 days) before it is available at the supermarket according to a nationwide online directory of small-scale farms farmers markets and other locally-produced food sources. Those numbers are significantly larger for imported foods.
This reality has spurred a variety of ‘buy local’ movements whose adherents are concerned that the national or international transportation of food cargos is energy-inefficient and contributes to global warming.
Whole Foods Market has defined ‘local’ as “only create that has traveled less than a day (7 or fewer hours) from the do work to our facility,” according to its.
Others such as do work writer Alisa Smith and author James (J. B.) MacKinnon advocate a. For one year they ate and drank only food and beverages they could buy or interact within a 100-mile radius of their domiciliate generating publicity for the ‘local’ movement and an international following of their own.
Randy Treichler owner of http://www starhollowfarm com/ in Three Springs. Penn. said he now finds more success marketing his farm as “small-scale” or “locally-grown,” even though it’s also certified organic. At his stand in the Adam’s Morgan Farmer’s Market every Saturday customers can ask him questions in person about the specifics of the food they are purchasing.
“It’s a lot harder to make wise food choices,” Treichler said. “One of the things that I think we offer is that populate talk directly to the producer.”
Like any health consideration deciding between organic locally-grown or any other variety of food is a be of personal choice. You will need to consider your dietary restrictions your shopping schedule your concerns for the environment or the local economy and your wish to act personally with your grower.
However if you decide to make a complete switch to organic eating be prepared to pay closer attention to food labels. Not all products bearing the word “organic” on their packaging are comprised entirely of organic ingredients.
According the Web place there are four tiers of organic food each with it’s own definition. Items labeled ‘100 percent organic’ are required to include only organically produced ingredients while ‘certified organic’ products must include at least 95 percent organically produced ingredients. Only these two types of organic products may display the USDA’s organic seal.
Processed foods that include at least 70 percent organically produced ingredients are allowed another label. ‘made with organic ingredients,’ and must provide a list of the individual organic ingredients they contain. A product that is less than 70 percent organic may not use the word “organic” anywhere on its packaging except to describe specific organic ingredients on its ingredients label.
“I usually do both. In the morning there’s usually more selection here,” Richter said of the Saturday market. “I evaluate the prices are more reasonable than at Safeway or Whole Foods. I also feel healthier.”
But some customers—such as a senior who said she has patronized.
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Related article:
http://americanobserver.net/2007/10/25/from-their-farm-to-your-table/
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