What are you eating?

In light of the recent Taco Bell scandal and their “beef” burritos, we should each be asking ourselves, “What in the world are we eating?” Labels on food are put there for a reason: to explain the contents and ingredients of any given product. But what if the food labels are vague, like “All Natural” or “Organic?” What do those labels even mean?

The labels on food that certify a product as “100% Organic” must include only ingredients that are completely organic, including water and salt. Those that are labeled “Organic” must have at least 95% of the ingredients meeting organic standards. Items that are 70% organic can claim to be “Made with organic ingredients.” So what does “Organic” mean? We know it’s healthier to humans and less damaging to the earth, but why pay an extra $2 for organic chicken eggs?

To be deemed “Organic” by the USDA, products must meet the following criteria:
- Any item must be produced using sustainable practices
- Any animal products must be free of hormones and antibiotics
- Any food must be free of pesticides, sewage, radiation or genetic tampering
So what if you’re buying food stuff that is labeled “Natural,” “Hormone-Free” or “Free-Range”? It might be a lot better than buying something unnatural, full of hormones, and caged, but it’s not considered organic.

Not willing to take the plunge and start paying extra for peace of mind and peace of belly? Take a look at the Dirty Dozen list: 12 items you should always buy organic (http://bit.ly/hWmSLW) and the Clean 15: non-organic food items you can buy safely (http://bit.ly/CxOmo). In general, anything that has a thick skin which you don’t eat, save yourself some money and buy conventional. Any fruit that you don’t peel, or ground vegetables (potatoes, carrots, celery), buy organic to avoid high concentrations of pesticides.

Try to buy locally and go to your farmer’s market to make great food choices that help the local farmers and economy.