With the opening of Whole Foods grocery store down on Sand Lake and Turkey Lake Rd, and Publix having just bought about 50 Albertson's grocery stores, and the rumor that the Albertsons on Dr Phillips is going to be a "Green Wise", the healthy food industry is becoming more and more important to the consumer. So I thought I would give you an overview of the entire industry. When we speak of 'organic' we are talking about standards for growing, storage, processing, packaging and shipping. It generally involves 1. Avoidance of synthetic chemicals in the production of food 2. Growing food on Farmlands that have been free of chemical for at least three years 3. In farms where both organic and non-organic are grown there must be strict separation. 4. Strict on site inspections and meticulous record keeping. In the U.S there are three levels of "organicity". If all of the ingredients are 100% organically grown then you can use the label "100% organic" If the ingredients are 95% organically grown then you can use the label "organic" If 70% of the products of an item are grown organically then you can use the label "made with organic ingredients"
Do not confuse the word "natural' or "authentic" with "organic". Most 'natural and authentic foods' are grown with herbicides and pesticides.
In looking at labels from foreign counties the European Union and Japan have state mandated strict standards but even within the E.U Sweden, England and Ireland have their own standards. Australia, Canada and India have private agencies which control their accreditation.
Organic foods are more expensive because of the time intensive systems necessary to produce them, and they do NOT get Federal subsidies.
In a recent large survey consumers rated "eating healthy foods" as the number one important thing in their live style. This superseded weight management, vitamin intake and exercise. As far as healthy foods were concerned, consumers wanted whole grains, reduced trans fats, and reduction in cholesterol above "organic" foods which came in last at sixteenth place. Interestingly "natural" came in ninth which technically is far more unhealthy than organic, and in the same study 71% of consumers said they more concerned with pesticides than anything else. Perception (no matter how wrong) is everything.
The entire back to nature movement has also hit the nutraceutical and cosmetic industry. We now have cosmetic lines that are "farmaceuticals" "organoceuticals" and "greenceuticals" to mention only a few. But who knows how to really read a label anyway. Parabens, which are preservatives, have been shown to have estrogenic function and with breast cancer rates now at one in nine who needs more estrogens? These have also been banned by the European Union. Sunscreens have also been implicated with carcinogens particularly diethanolamine, DEA and TEA. The Aveeno botanical cosmaceutical line contains some very good and safe ingredients.
Copyright (c) 2008 Roger Murray
If you have just recently decided to switch to organic foods, you may be looking for the best places to shop at. After all, it's no secret that organic foods can sometimes be difficult and costly to buy. With that being said, organic food consumption has increased in popularity over the past few years, as more individuals worry about their health. This means that you may have a number of different options when looking to buy organic foods.
You have a number of different options when looking to buy organic foods, so you may be wondering which option is best for you. For example, if you have two local, natural food stores, you may be wondering which one is actually best for you to shop at. When choosing an organic food store to shop at, there are a number of important points that you will want to keep in mind.
Price should play an important role in choosing an organic food store. As it was previously stated, organic foods are known for their increased prices. In fact, that's one of the many reasons why not everyone chooses to eat organically, as many are turned off by the cost of doing so. If you're looking to eat organically on a budget or if you are just looking to save money, examine the prices of your nearby organic food stores. Find a store that enables you to save the most money.
Product selection should also play an important role in choosing an organic food store to shop at. In addition to specialty organic food stores, many supermarkets also have organic food sections. As nice as this is, these sections are often extremely small in size. This means that you aren't provided with the largest selection of organic foods. In fact, you may only have two or three organic cereals to choose from. To help ensure that healthy and tasty organic foods are consumed, the largest selection of products should be sought after.
Your alternatives should also be examined. Many supermarkets have small organic food sections. It is also important to note that many cities and towns are seeing an increase in organic food stores. If you have two or more natural food stores to choose from, be sure to examine them all. If you do have a choice, not only look for affordable prices and large product selections, but also examine the level of customer service that you receive.
In addition to buying organic foods locally, they can also be purchased online. When looking to buy organic foods online, be sure to do business with a trusted website or company. Does the website in question look clean, professional, and is it easy to navigate? Remember that you do have a number of different options when looking to buy organic foods online, so be sure to find the best for you.
Should you decide to shop online for organic foods, it's important to examine shipping costs. As you likely already know, fresh and frozen organic foods need to be properly shipped, this may cost extra money, but it shouldn't cost too much more. You'll never want to pay more money for shipping than you need to. For that reason, you should compare shipping costs just like you would organic food prices.
Another great way to help you choose the organic food store that is best for your needs is by seeking recommendations from those that you know. Ask your friends, family members, coworkers, or neighbors for recommendations. It's even better if these individuals are organic food eaters themselves. If you are interested in buying organic foods online, consider joining an online community, one that's designed for organic eaters or health conscious individuals. Ask about organic food recommendations, not just online stores, but products as well. You'll find a wealth of information online and might even make a few good friends while you're at it. Friends that will help you choose and find the best places to buy organics and even some great recipes to try yourself or for the whole family.
Both Roger Murray & Jake Samples are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Roger Murray has sinced written about articles on various topics from Fitness. Dr. Roger Murray, M.D. is an Orlando, Fla. based cosmetic surgeon, specializing in minimally invasive cosmetic surgery and is an expert in scar minimization techniques, aesthetics and anti-aging. For more information, please visit. Roger Murray's top article generates over 2900 views. Bookmark Roger Murray to your Favourites.