We’ve all heard that buying organic is healthier for us and for the environment. But how to buy organic? What do you look for? How do you know something is organic?
In the U.S., the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a certification program for organic foods. Look for the green and white USDA Organic seal on foods to ensure that they truly are organic. There are a few different categories of organic including 100 percent organic, organic, and made with organic ingredients.
100 Percent Organic
Food that meets this standard must have all organic ingredients, except water and salt. This will have the green and white USDA Organic seal.
Organic
For this standard, 95 percent of the ingredients, except water and salt, must be organically produced. The other 5 percent have to be on an approved national list. These products will also have the USDA Organic seal.
Made with Organic Ingredients
These must have 70 percent of the ingredients as organic. There are also certain ways that the product must be produced. The USDA Organic seal cannot be displayed on these packages.
Organic products will also list the organic ingredients on the label. If an ingredient is organic, it will list the word organic in front of it on the ingredients label. Any ingredient without that word in front of it is not organic.
What About Natural Products?
Beware of products that claim they are “all natural.” The USDA only regulates this term in products that contain meat or eggs. Anything that does not contain meat or eggs can claim to be natural and there are no regulations or standards they have to adhere to in order to use that term. In relation to meat and eggs, this term applies to processing only and not the practices that the farm engages in. Meat or eggs labeled as natural has to go through negligible processing and cannot have artificial ingredients. If you are looking for how to buy organic, natural is not necessarily a word that you should be looking for. If it is, it should not be the only word.
Many major grocery stores sell organic foods now but you will have to look for them. They are sometimes in a separate section of the store and sometimes in a special section in the isle. Be sure to look for the USDA Organic seal on anything you buy to know that it is organic.
Sources:
USDA Organic Labeling and Marketing Information
USDA National Organic Program