Organic – is this just a marketing ploy or is it something we should be spending extra money on to have better health?  What is the difference between natural and organic?

Natural is a term associated with fruits and vegetables.  This must be a marketing ploy, aren’t all fruits and vegetables natural?  Unless it is a new kind of food that has been developed and processed, the product is natural.  These foods are grown without chemical pesticides and fertilizers.  The benefits to organic foods are :

• you are helping the environment by not putting chemicals into the ground
• you are avoiding putting chemicals into your body thus being more healthy

However, organic foods can be more expensive.  If you don’t want to spend the extra money, buy fruits and vegetables that can be peeled, like oranges and bananas.  This is because once the peel is gone so are the chemicals.  Apples should be organic because you eat the peel.  Whether natural or organic all fruits and vegetables should be rinsed before eating.

Another thing to notice is labels saying ‘no hormones’.  This usually refers to milk or meat.  This is a false statement because all animals produce hormones naturally.  However,  the label usually means that no hormones have been given to the animal unnaturally, such as to produce more milk in cows, etc.  Regardless of hormones, the milk and meat is safe for people and does not violate any animal rights.

However, a label on eggs and meat can indicate if an animal was caged or penned.  This does not matter in the nutritional value of the product but is a matter concerning animal rights.  These products may also be more expensive.  Reading labels can help you make healthier choices in your diet.