Yesterday we looked at some general information about the USDA Organic Seal. Today we’ll look at some common Q&A about this label…
Does the label mean healthy?
No. Organic food can be fattening, full of sodium, or just plain bad for you. Like with non-organic food, your food choices, not the food label dictates healthy eating. According to the USDA, the OFPA and NOP regulations do not in any way address food safety or nutrition.
Now, that said, while the organic seal doesn’t equal healthy, I do believe that organic food is healthier for your family. Not only does organic food keep nasty pesticides and chemicals out of your body but organics keep that junk out of our soil, water and air as well.
Do all organic foods carry the USDA Organic Seal?
No. A food can meet organic requirements and still not wear the seal. That’s up to the company producing the product. The USDA doesn’t go in and tell companies, “You have to wear the seal!”
Is the USDA Organic Seal trustworthy?
The USDA has not shown themselves to be great advocates for consumers so far as organics are concerned. In fact recent studies show that enforcement of federal laws governing organics have been super slack. That said, after the news broke the USDA came out and said they’re working to make sure the rules are enforced. Nice that they have to be caught to actually do something useful huh?
In any case, this is one reason why you should try to buy locally when you can because you’d be able to check out the company better. Do I think all organics can’t be trusted? No – there are ethical companies out there. As a concerned consumer the best thing you can do is follow the news so you’re aware of organic food issues. Good places to read include…
Which foods are best to buy in organic form?
To break it down I recommend buying any foods on the Dirty Dozen list and any food you give a baby or small child in organic form. After that it gets more complicated. Read my in-depth post about the best foods to buy organic for more information.
Why are organic foods so expensive?
I don’t think organics are too expensive. I think we all make choices and we can make choices that save money, even when buying organics. See many ways to save money on organic food.
Do you have any other questions about organics? Ask in the comments and if I can I’ll help you out.
Bonus link o’ the day - right now my pal Peggy is holding a cool giveaway at Light Green Stairs where you can win a copy of Clean, Green, and Lean: Get Rid of the Toxins That Make You Fat – green dieting books are rare, so this would be a nice score. Go enter!
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Thanks for linking to the contest! I didn’t review Clean, Green and Lean myself as I just reviewed one diet book and felt I needed a break : ) However, it has some great reviews on amazon. And it seems from the excerpts I’ve read that the author does a good job explaining why organic food is important for health.
Jennifer,
I produce a bottled tea beverage. Do you have any information regarding the process that a producer must go through in order to put the seal on their products? (My tea is made with organic tea leaves).
Thanks!
If you have enough organic content you should visit the USDA to learn about certification – http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/nop – look at Grading, Certification and Verification.
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