2008 Woodie Awards
All-natural foods are growing in popularity
Kate Grigsby
Issue date: 9/19/07 Section: Expressions
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Within the last five years, there has been a significant increase in the purchasing and consumption of organic food. It seems that in order to keep up with the emerging health-nut trend, food must be organic, all natural or offer some sort of herbal remedy for age lines, frizzy hair and those ever-present extra five pounds.
With the emergence of more organic-based products and stores like Whole Foods, are any of us even sure what it is that we are eating, and if so, are these "organic" products better than the ones that currently stock our shelves?
The USDA website defines organic food as food produced by natural means as a result of farming without the use of artificial pesticides or fertilizers. For most of us, however, it means five dollars for a half gallon of milk and a box of cereal. Despite the fact that the U.S. annual sales of organic food in 2006 was over $17.2 billion, the majority of the public doesn't know why they're spending more.
In 2002, the U.S. Department of Agriculture established a new criterion that states only foods that were produced from 95 percent organic ingredients could have the official USDA seal of approval. To meet these standards, the USDA requires that all plants must be grown and cared for without the use of pesticides, herbicides or artificial fertilizers for a minimum of three years. This also means that all animals must be sustained on 100 percent organic feed, without the use of antibiotics, hormones or genetically modified organisms.
The USDA seal, however, should not be confused with labeling on products that say "All Natural" or "Made with Organic Ingredients." These foods may or may not be chemically healthier options; however, those made with organic ingredients are only required to be 70 percent organically comprised. To get the value, you're better off looking for the USDA seal, as many of these imitator products can often charge just as much as real organic foods.
So when you're shopping at the grocery store on a college budget, how are you to know when to save and when to splurge?
With the emergence of more organic-based products and stores like Whole Foods, are any of us even sure what it is that we are eating, and if so, are these "organic" products better than the ones that currently stock our shelves?
The USDA website defines organic food as food produced by natural means as a result of farming without the use of artificial pesticides or fertilizers. For most of us, however, it means five dollars for a half gallon of milk and a box of cereal. Despite the fact that the U.S. annual sales of organic food in 2006 was over $17.2 billion, the majority of the public doesn't know why they're spending more.
In 2002, the U.S. Department of Agriculture established a new criterion that states only foods that were produced from 95 percent organic ingredients could have the official USDA seal of approval. To meet these standards, the USDA requires that all plants must be grown and cared for without the use of pesticides, herbicides or artificial fertilizers for a minimum of three years. This also means that all animals must be sustained on 100 percent organic feed, without the use of antibiotics, hormones or genetically modified organisms.
The USDA seal, however, should not be confused with labeling on products that say "All Natural" or "Made with Organic Ingredients." These foods may or may not be chemically healthier options; however, those made with organic ingredients are only required to be 70 percent organically comprised. To get the value, you're better off looking for the USDA seal, as many of these imitator products can often charge just as much as real organic foods.
So when you're shopping at the grocery store on a college budget, how are you to know when to save and when to splurge?