What does " organic" mean?
Organic refers to the way agricultural products are grown and processed. Organic farming prohibits the use
of toxic and persistent chemicals that can contaminate our water supply. In the case of livestock, antibiotics and GMO’s
(genetically modified organisms) are prohibited.
Does organic food taste better?
Taste is definitely an individual matter, but hundreds of gourmet chefs across the nation are choosing organic
food to prepare because they believe it has superior taste and quality.
An increasing number of consumers are also of the opinion that organic food tastes better. Because organic
food is grown in well-balanced soil, it makes sense that these healthy plants have a great taste. Try organic food for yourself
and see what you think!
Is organic food more nutritious than conventional food?
At this time, there is no definitive research that makes this claim. It is extremely difficult to conduct
studies that would control the many variables that might effect nutrients, such as seeds, soil type, climate, post harvest
handling, and crop variety.
However, some recent published studies in peer-reviewed journals have shown organic foods to have higher nutritional
value. For example, researchers at University of California, Davis, recently found that organic tomatoes has higher levels
of phytochemicals and vitamin C than conventional tomatoes.
Why does organic cost more?
The truth of the matter is that organic food doesn’t always cost more. Some items, such as coffee, cereal,
bread, and even hamburger, may cost the same or even less than their conventional counterparts. And, as the demand for organics
continues to grow, the cost will continue to come down. When the cost is higher, consider these facts:
- Organic farmers don’t receive federal subsidies like conventional farmers do. Therefore, the price
of organic food reflects the cost of growing.
- The price of conventional food does not reflect the cost of environmental cleanup that we pay for through
our tax dollars.
- Organic farming is more labor and management intensive.
- Organic farms are usually smaller than conventional farms and so do not benefit from the economies of scale
that larger growers get.
How do I know if something is organic?
The USDA has identified for us three categories of labeling organic products:
- 100 % Organic: Made with 100% organic ingredients
- Organic: Made with at least 95% organic ingredients
- Made With Organic Ingredients: Made with a minimum of 70% organic ingredients with strict restrictions on
the remaining 30% including no GMO’s (genetically modified organism)
- Products with less than 70% organic ingredients may list organically produced ingredients on the side panel
of the package
