Had a discussion with a cousin of mine who happens to be an Ex New York Chef and the topic was, what is organic. Tom carries the persona of a New Yorker with blunt force grace and respect. He is also a great chef. In the typical new york accent, he came out with, "even if a product says Organic, who is to enforce the delicate cultivation of the organic produce or livestock?" Good point right? Well, I alway choose to trust in a higher consiousness and take the high road to feeling that most of mankind will have a good heart and do the right thing. I dont doubt the possiblities of people cutting corners and doing what they think is necessary to survive even if it means mislabeling. (To me, in the end, we attract what we are- live life with bad intention and bad will come to you...)
The Organic Foods Production Act was passed in 1990 as part of the Farm Bill. It has morphed into the National Organic Programs definition and rules published by the USDA in 2000. In order to label as organic, farmers and producers go through a lengthy and detailed process. On the contrary, to label as natural, there is no verification process except for meat and poultry (regulated by the Food and Safety and Inspection Services. All organic foods must be produced without antibiotics, synthetic hormones and genetic engineering. If you ask why antibiotics and hormones......imagine 100 people living in one single family home-in the basement. These 100 people are asked to eat 3-4 times a day to get fat, the women are asked to pretend they just gave birth and start lactating, they are asked to stay like this for a few years and not get sick, poop in one place and listen to the sound of other humans before them getting killed in another part of the house. Stress makes us not want to eat or lactate so we would get hormones. Close quarter living produces infection thus the need for antibiotics (several times a year depending on the season even if the basement is warm). Poor dieting on corn meal makes us have heart disease and arthritis so more medicine so we survive until slaughter time. Of course the weak get killed early and chopped up to be placed into the feed for the 99 remaining people in the basement. (I am getting grossed out writing this)
The organic eqivalent would be 100 people walking around outside, getting better food, regular check ups, and in the case of "Kobe Beef" brushed and given beer daily on a green pasture. See the difference? Less stress, less sickness, true bonding with children (cow calf) to produce milk, more exercise on open plain.....The value of you are what you eat can be extrapolated down to the stress free life of the product you are eating and that goes for fruits and veggies too. In India, China and some Native American lands, before the herb is harvested for medicinal use, the farmer will say a prayer of thanks to the earth.
Now comes the breakdown. 100% organic means the item is composed entirely of certified organic products. Organic means at least 95% of the item is composed of organic. Made with Organic ingredients means it is made of around 70-94% certified organic products. Ingredient panel only means the food has less than 70% organic ingredients.
USDA
Organic products are more expensive, 15-60% more depending on where you buy. I like Whole Foods Market and this is probably the most expensive around my area. I may pick and choose the most important items to come from WF (the food I need to taste the best for my kids) and the not so important one I pick up from Jewel/Osco or Dominics. Some of the things I feel don't have a high organic value would be my oranges and bananas. The peels keep most toxins out. I also use in season coupons (don't tell my uncle, he says real men don't shop with coupons...but then again, he had a heart attack)
Ashleigh Eisbrener put together a nice list of what to buy and not to buy organic. Here it is:
Buy:
Apples
Celery
Cherries
Grapes
Ketchup
Lettuce
Spinach
Strawberries
Tomatoes
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Peppers
Milk (although I really suggest almond milk)
Not necessary Organic:
Asparagus
Avocados
Bananas
Brocholi
Cabbage
Corn
Kiwi
Mangos
Onions
Pineapple
Peas
