NUTRITION
Going Organic
Learn to discern when organic matters. By Laurie Wertich
W
ander the pro- duce aisles of any grocery store and you'll face a wide array of
choices: organic, conventional, natural, local, and more. With so many options, no wonder it's hard to decipher what the optimal choices are. Do you need organ- ic food—along with its hefty price tag? There is no definitive answer, which is why you must learn to discern the pros and cons of conventional versus organic food as well as identify your own nutri- tional motives and goals.
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What Is Organic Food? Organic food is grown without the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, biotechnology, and irradiation. Organic farming practices help promote soil and water conservation and reduce pollution. Furthermore, organic foods carry lower levels of toxins such as pesticides. In contrast, conventional farming
practices employ the use of chemical fer- tilizers, pesticides, herbicides, antibiot- ics, and growth hormones.
Identifying Organic Food The US Department of Agriculture
(USDA) has established an organic cer- tification program with strict standards that regulate how foods are grown, han- dled, and processed. Only foods that are grown and processed according to USDA Organic standards can be labeled "or- ganic." Many organic producers choose to use the USDA Organic seal to indi- cate that their products meet organic standards; however, identifying organic products is not always so simple. When produce and animal products
are labeled "USDA Organic," you can rest assured that farmers have followed or- ganic farming practices. Packaged foods,
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