Encyclopedia of Diets - A Guide to Health and Nutrition

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disease, and have access to the outdoors. This last
requirement is rather vague, as regulations set neither
a minimum amount of time the animal must spend
outdoors nor any minimums concerning the amount
of outdoor space available per animal.

Selecting organic food
The USDA allows three label statements to help
consumers determine if a food is organic.
Labels stating ‘‘100% organic’’ indicate that all of the
ingredients in the product are certified organic.
These items have the USDA Organic Seal on the
label.
Labels stating ‘‘organic’’ indicate that at least 95% of
the ingredients are certified organic. These items also
carry the USDA Organic Seal on the label.
Labels stating ‘‘made with organic ingredients’’ indi-
cate that at least 70% of the ingredients are certified
organic. These items are not permitted to have the
USDA Organic Seal on the label.
Items that contain fewer than 70% organic ingre-
dients are not permitted to use either the word
‘‘organic’’ or the USDA Organic Seal on the label.
Consumers may be bewildered by other words on
food labels such as ‘‘natural’’ or ‘‘grass-fed’’ that may
be confused with organic. Natural and organic are not
interchangeable. ‘‘Natural’’ foods are minimally proc-
essed foods but, they are not necessarily grown or
raised under the strict conditions of organic foods.
‘‘Grass-fed’’ indicates that the livestock were fed nat-
ural forage (‘‘grass’’), but not necessarily in open pas-
ture or for their entire lives.
Debate continues about the exact requirements to
label animal products ‘‘cage-free,’’ ‘‘free-range,’’ or
‘‘open pasture.’’ Cage-free simply means the animals
were not kept caged, but does not necessarily mean
that they were raised outdoors or allowed to roam
freely. There is no certification process for the desig-
nation ‘‘cage-free.’’ Animals can spend as little as five
minutes per day outdoors and still be considered ‘‘free-
range.’’ Animal rights organizations are working to
clarify these designations and improve the conditions
under which all animals, are raised.

Organic food and health
Certified organic food requires more labor to pro-
duce, which generally makes it more expensive than
non-certified food. Some consumers buy organic food
primarily because the way it is raised benefits the
environment. Others believe absolutely in the health
benefits of organic food. A larger group of consumers

are uncertain if organic food offers enough health
benefits to justify the additional cost.
Discussions of the health benefits of organic food
can become quite heated and emotional. Advocates of
buying organic foods firmly believe that they are pre-
serving their health by preventing their bodies from
becoming receptacles for poisonous chemicals that
can causecancer, asthma, and other chronic diseases.
Non-organic food buyers take the position that the
level pesticide and fertilizer residue in non-organic
food is small and harmless. Neither side is likely to
change the other’s view. However, below are some
conclusions from studies done comparing organic
and non-organic foods.
The food supply in the United States, whether
organic or non-organic, is extremely safe.
Fresh organic and non-organic produce are equally
likely to become contaminated with pathogens such
asE. colithat cause health concerns.
Many, but not all, chemical contaminants can be
removed from non-organic food by peeling or thor-
ough washing in cool running water.
Organic foods are not 100% pesticide and chemical
free. However, their chemical load appears to be
lower than that of non-organic foods.
The nutrient value of identical organic and non-
organic foods is the same.
The long-term effect on humans of trace amounts of
hormones, antibiotics, and drugs found in milk,
meat, and other non-organic animal products is
unclear.
The long-term effect of genetically modified foods on
both humans and the environment cannot yet be
known.

Precautions

Individuals should be informed aboutfood label-
ingrequirements and read food labels carefully so that
they can make informed decisions about their
purchases.

Interactions

Organic food does not interact with drugs or other
foods in a way that is different from non-organic
foods.

Complications

No complications are expected from eating
organic food.

Organic food

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