Are Organic Foods Better for You?
Posted on: Friday, 11 April 2003, 06:00 CDT
HealthScoutNews -- Are you wondering whether you should include organic foods in your grocery cart?
University of Michigan Health System registered dietician Terrie A. Holewinski offers some information about organic foods.
"The truth is there is no scientific evidence to prove that organic foods are safer or more nutritious than conventionally grown foods. They both must meet the same safety and quality standards based on government guidelines and standards," Holewinski says in a news release.
Organic farming is one of the fastest-growing segments of agriculture in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Annual retail sales of organic foods are estimated at more than $7.8 billion, with almost half bought at conventional grocery stores.
Organic foods shouldn't be confused with foods labeled as natural, which are foods that are minimally processed or have few preservatives.
Typically, organic foods are grown, handled and processed using renewable resources and soil and water conservation methods.
The USDA and National Organic Standards Board have set a national standard for how food that is labeled "organic" has to be produced, whether it's grown in the United States or imported from other countries.
Those standards include restrictions of the use of fertilizers, pesticides, synthetics, antibiotics, growth hormones, bioengineering and radiation.
There are actually different labels for organic foods. The label "100 percent organic" means that 100 percent of the ingredients in the product are organic; an "organic" label certifies that at least 95 percent of the ingredients are organic; the label "made with organic ingredients" means a food product has at least 70 percent organic ingredients.
Only 100 percent organic and 95 percent organic foods will carry the new USDA organic seal.
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