Choosing Organic Food

Many people would like to eat a healthier diet, including consuming more organic food, but they get stuck at the ‘taking action’ step. It can be daunting to tackle and understand the overwhelming amount of information available about organic food.   Some basic information can make it easier to make choices and take those first action steps.

Why Eat Organic Fruits and Vegetables

According to the Environmental Working Group, eating the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables exposes a person on average to about 20 pesticides a day. Eating the 12 least contaminated limits the exposure to about two pesticides a day.

12 Most Contaminated Fruits & Vegetables (The Dirty Dozen)

• apples
• bell peppers
• celery
• cherries
• grapes (imported)
• nectarines
• peaches
• pears
• potatoes
• red raspberries
• spinach
• strawberries

12 Least  Contaminated Fruits & Vegetables

•  asparagus
• avocados
• bananas
• broccoli
• cauliflower
• sweet corn
• kiwi
• mangos
• onions
• papaya
• pineapples
• peas (sweet)

                                                                                          What Do Organic Labels Mean

Meaningful Labels

100% Organic - no synthetic ingredients; production processes must meet federal standards; independently verified by accredited inspectors

Organic - at least 95% of ingredients are organically produced; remainder can be nonorganic or synthetic ingredients

Made with Organic Ingredients - at least 70% are organic; remaining 30% must come from the USDA’s approved list

Meaningless

 “Free range” or “free roaming”- U.S. government standards are weak; can be legally labeled free range if a coop door happens to be open for 5 minutes a day, regardless of whether the chicken actually goes outside

“Natural” or “All Natural” - does NOT mean organic; only the standard definition applies to meat and poultry (meaning not containing any artificial flavoring, colors, chemical preservatives, or synthetic ingredients); the claim is not verified; the producer/manufacturer alone decides whether to use it.

Organic labels on seafood - meaningless because the USDA has no standards to back them up.

Primary Source: Consumer Reports