Nutritional Tag Program: Organic

Health & Wellness

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has established a set of national standards that food labeled "organic" must meet, whether it is grown in the United States or imported from other countries. Today, when you buy food labeled "organic," you can be sure it was produced using the highest organic production and handling standards in the world.

Along with the national organic standards, the USDA has developed strict labeling rules to help consumers know the exact organic content of the food they buy. The USDA Organic seal tells you that a product is at least 95 percent organic.

Organic farmers emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of the soil and water to enhance environmental quality. The term "organic" is given by a government approved certifier to food that has not been produced using:

conventional pesticides
fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients
sewage sludge
genetic engineering
irradiation

Natural vs Organic

Natural does not mean organic. Natural foods are free from food colors, synthetic flavors or other synthetic ingredients. Unfortunately, there is no government regulation of the term "natural".

Is Organic More Nutritious?

There are 2 views on the nutrition of organics:

Healthier for you – some researchers have shown that an organic plant has to work harder to protect itself against pests and environmental conditions by producing more flavonoids – a plant molecule that protects our heart.
Same nutrition as conventional counterpart – other researchers say that organic plants contain the same nutrition as traditional fruits and vegetables.

More research is needed but regardless of your position, it is necessary to understand that the term "organic" doesn’t always mean "healthy". Whether you choose organic or conventional produce the most important issue is increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables.

Why Does Organic Cost So Much More?

Organic farmers are usually operating on a smaller scale. There is stricter governing and costly certification to maintain an organic certification. Without the use of conventional pesticides and synthetic fertilizers farmers must rely on alternative and sometimes more costly methods of preserving their crop. This requires more work and management. Organic farmers also don’t receive government subsidies.

People may choose to eat organic for health, taste, the environment or other reasons. However, eating organic can be a financial strain. The Environmental Working Group (link) has listed the 12 most and 12 least contaminated fruits and vegetables. If finances are the issue, use your organic dollars toward the 12 most contaminated produce also known as the "Dirty Dozen".

"Dirty Dozen" - 12 most contaminated fruits/vegetables

Apples
Bell Peppers
Celery
Cherries
Imported Grapes
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Potatoes
Red Raspberries
Spinach
Strawberries

12 least contaminated fruits/vegetables

Asparagus
Avocados
Bananas
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Sweet Corn
Kiwi
Mangoes
Onions
Papaya
Pineapples
Sweet Peas

How Do I Identify Organic Products?

Throughout the store you will see our O tag. Our dietitians have searched the store for the USDA Organic Seal and made these items easy to identify with our O tag. In the produce department you can easily identify organic produce by a numerical code. Produce codes beginning with a 3 or 4 are conventionally grown while those codes beginning with a 9 are organically grown.

To learn more about eating organic click on one of the resources below:

Download a list of Organic foods offered at our stores