Antibiotic Free

Chicken, turkey, pork and lamb are produced without the routine use of antibiotics as a feed additive, while cattle are not injected with antibiotics.

 

Antioxidants

Antioxidants are chemical compounds that work to protect the body from cell damage by inhibiting oxidation, which makes free radicals harmless. Foods with high antioxidant levels have been shown in studies to have health benefits ranging from anti-aging to improved cardiovascular health.

 

Bovine Growth Hormone (commonly seen as rGBH/rBST)

A bioengineered hormone injected into dairy cows bi-weekly to increase their milk

production. It is legal in only three countries: the United States, South Africa and

Mexico. Cows injected with the hormone have shorter life spans and are much

more likely to suffer from udder infections. This results in the cows being given

antibiotics to combat the infections (see Antibiotic Free above!)

 

Milk from cows injected with rBGH cannot be certified organic.

                                                                                                                         

Cage Free Eggs

Cage-free eggs are laid by hens that are not kept in cages. Currently, cage-free operations are not well regulated.

 

However, USDA Certified Organic eggs ARE inspected. The hens have access to the outdoors and sunlight, and are fed organic feed.

 

“Certified Naturally Grown”

A non-profit organization that supports smaller local farmers that cannot afford to participate in the national organic certification program.

 

“Clean Fifteen”

All the produce on “The Clean 15” had little to no traces of pesticides, and they are safe to consume in non-organic form. They are:

 

• onions

• avocados

• sweet corn

• pineapples

• asparagus

• mango

• sweet peas

• asparagus

• kiwi fruit

• cabbage

• eggplant

• cantaloupe

• watermelon

• grapefruit

• sweet potatoes

• sweet onions

 

Why are many of these fruits and veggies on this list? Mainly because they have a protective defense with their outer layer of skin.

 

It’s important to note that you should not be fooled into thinking you can just wash pesticides off. If only! But you should still wash your produce because you will at the very least reduce pesticide exposure.

 

Closed Herd

A herd of farm animals that is 100% born and raised on the farm. No animals are ever brought in from the outside. This ensures the health of the herd. Maintaining a closed herd is especially important to an organic herd, since animals cannot be treated with antibiotics, and an animal requiring such care must be removed.

 

CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)

CSA’s are paid subscriptions to a farm where people buy a share of the farm and are provided with a variety of fruits and vegetables in return—depending on what is in season. Consumer participants pay an up-front fee and in return receive a weekly box of fresh, locally-grown produce. Members generally pick up their boxes of produce at a central location in the community. In many cases, participants can also visit and help work the farm.

 

“Dirty Dozen”

The fruits and vegetables on “The Dirty Dozen” list, when conventionally grown, tested positive for at least 47 different chemicals, with some testing positive for as many as 67. For produce on the “dirty” list, you should ABSOLUTELY go organic!!

 

“The Dirty Dozen” list includes:

 

• celery

• peaches

• strawberries

• apples

• domestic blueberries

• nectarines

• sweet bell peppers

• spinach, kale and collard greens

• cherries

• potatoes

• imported grapes

• lettuce

 

Fair Trade Certified

Fair trade labeling assures that farmers are paid better-than-conventional prices, are trained on sustainable agriculture practices, work directly with food cooperatives (co-ops), and are often organic.

 

Farmer’s Market

Farmers’ markets are typically held weekly, usually outside, and are a place where local farmers in any given area gather to sell their produce or specialty goods. Food sold at the market is not always organic, but often is. Plus, you can get to know your local farmers!

 

Free Radicals

Free radicals are atoms or molecules with unpaired electrons; because of their reactivity, they can be destructive, causing unwanted side reactions that result in cell damage.

 

Many forms of cancer are thought to be the result of reactions between free radicals and DNA. Because free radicals are necessary for life, the body has a number of enzymes and antioxidants to minimize free radical-induced damage and to repair damage which does occur. (See Antioxidants at the beginning of this list!)

 

Free Range

Food produced by animals, especially poultry, which have access to outside spaces and are permitted to roam freely for food rather than being confined in an enclosure. The animals also typically live in less crowded conditions.

 

Genetically Engineered

Genetically engineered foods have had foreign genes inserted into their genetic codes. Genetic engineering can be done with plants, animals, or microorganisms.

 

GMO (Genetically Modified Organism)

A food item and/or animal whose genetic material has been deliberately altered.

Genes are combined from different organisms (recombinant DNA technology)

and the resulting organism is said to be “genetically modified,” or

“genetically engineered”.

 

Genetic modification is controversial because it can cause abnormalities within

the product and the long-term impact on humans is unknown. Detractors would

like to see it banned while others simply want these foods to be clearly labeled

so we the consumer can decide for ourselves.

 

HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup)

This is a sweetener made by processing corn syrup to increase the level of fructose, usually to between 42% and 55% of the total sugar, with the balance being glucose. It is used extensively as a sweetener in processed foods and soft drinks, particularly soda and baked goods, but it is included also in many foods not normally thought of as sweet foods (breads, crackers, yogurt and even cocktail peanuts!!)

 

Hydrogenated Oils/ Trans Fats

Hydrogenated Oil is used by the food industry for the sole purpose of prolonging the shelf life of processed foods. It is a man-made food substance that is used widely for its cost efficiency.

 

Also known as Trans Fats, these oils are also known for their damaging health effects. Trans fats work against the body in many ways: they increase bad cholesterol and decrease good cholesterol. They also block the production of chemicals that combat inflammation and benefit the hormonal and nervous systems, while at the same time allowing chemicals that increase inflammation.

 

Irradiated Food

These are foods that have had exposure to ionizing radiation in order to disinfest, sterilize, or preserve food. This process is not allowed in organic production.

 

MSG

Monosodium glutamate is a controversial flavor enhancer added to thousands of foods you and your family regularly eat. It stimulates glutamate receptors in the tongue, enhancing salty, beefy flavors in foods. It can cause adverse side effects in some people. Click here to read more about MSG in our MRLBlog

 

Natural Foods

Natural is NOT the same as organic. Products labeled “organic” require auditing and certification, while “natural” is not regulated at all.

 

Basically, according to the USDA, natural products should have no artificial preservatives, chemical additives artificial sweeteners, no hydrogenated oils, no GMOs (genetically modified organisms) and no synthetics. They cannot be irradiated.

 

Unfortunately, “natural” is one of those loose terms: You’ve still got to put on your big girl panties and read the label. For instance, high fructose corn syrup is used in products labeled “natural” because it is derived from corn—i.e., not a chemical or synthetic product.

 

In a nutshell, because natural products are not regulated, it is important not to confuse them with organic!

 

Natural Flavoring

This is a substance derived directly from a plant or animal or from the roasting, heating, or fermentation of said animal or plant. The source can be pretty much anything: fruits, veggies, herbs, spices, leaves, roots, bark, meat, eggs, and dairy products.

 

HOWEVER, natural flavor is a loose term for any number of naturally derived chemicals. They’re messed around with in labs to basically recreate what your food would have tasted like before it was processed, frozen, heated, pasteurized, or otherwise messed with on the way to your grocery store.

 

“No Preservatives”

A product that is not made with any nitrates, nitrites, BHT, or sulfites.

 

Organic

To include the term organic on packaging, a manufacturer must create its product while meeting USDA rules which are based on farming, handling, manufacturing, distribution and labeling practices.

 

Requirements include: no antibiotics or growth hormones for animals, animals must be raised on organic feed and have free range to graze, crops must be raised with no synthetic pesticides or fertilizers containing synthetic chemicals, no sewage-sludge fertilizer, no bio-engineered foods or irradiation, and no GMOs.

 

Farming practices should practice soil and water preservation. A government inspector will certify the farm after visiting it and then farmers must keep detailed records on crops.

 

USDA Organic

100% ORGANIC
All ingredients (not including water and salt), are organic. Products with this rating can use the green and white USDA Organic seal.

ORGANIC
At least 95% of the ingredients, again excluding water and salt, must be organic. The remaining 5% can only be natural or synthetic ingredients that are not available organically, which are from a preapproved USDA list. Products manufactured to this standard may use the “USDA Organic” seal on the label.

 

MADE WITH ORGANIC INGREDIENTS

Products with at least 70% organic ingredients may put “Made With Organic Ingredients” on their packaging and list up to three ingredients. This category may NOT use the “USDA Organic” seal on the label.

 

“Paraben Free”

This is used to describe items that have no parabens, a chemical preservatives added to personal-care products for extending shelf life, and widely used in tens of thousands of types of cosmetic products today. It is suspected that parabens cause risks to the reproductive system. The four main parabens in use are methyl, ethyl, propyl, and

butyl parabens.

 

Processed Food

Food processing is the transformation of raw ingredients into food, taking clean, harvested crops or butchered animal products and in turn these are used to produce attractive, marketable and often long shelf-life food products.

 

Natural Sugar

This is the kind of sugar contained in fruits, vegetables, and other plants. Most of these sugars occur as fructose, though glucose and sucrose can also be found in some foods. They are natural for two reasons: 1) because they occur on their own; and 2) because they are not manipulated or extracted by humans. Two great natural sugars are maple syrup and raw honey!

 

Refined Sugar

The juices of sugar cane and sugar beets contain natural sucrose. This natural sugar is concentrated through a refining process that involves washing, boiling, centrifuging, filtering and drying it.

 

The initial result is "raw" sugar, which is then bleached with lime or carbon dioxide to whiten the sugar and passed through a bone char filter to remove any other impurities. "Pure" sugar, as it is often labeled, refers to the chemical purity of the product and its lack of other nutrients, not because it is natural or wholesome.