People have collectively grown more concerned with their greater ecological footprint on the environment in recent years. Alongside moving toward driving hybrid or entirely electric vehicles, people have welcomed modifying their diets and learning more about the ingredients in their food and how those ingredients are farmed and produced. One of these popular dietary changes is a shift toward consuming more organic foods. In the United States, foods labeled “organic” are, put simply, better for the environment. Let’s review a few facts about organic foods and their production.
In the United States, the USDA, or the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is responsible for overseeing the labeling of “organic” foods that you’ll see at an organic food store in Salt Lake City, for example. “Organic ingredients” is a suitable label for any product that contains more than one ingredient that is organically grown. If 70 percent or more of a product made up of multiple ingredients is USDA-certified organic, it can be labeled as having been “made with organic ingredients.” “Organic” is reserved for products made up of at least 95 percent organic ingredients while the “100 percent organic” label is only applicable to – as you can infer – products that are entirely organic.
While it’s true that there are more nutrients in USDA-certified organic foods, it is only by small margins and only for some nutrients. Flavonoids are generally the most increased nutrient in organic products. Meats are shown to have greater concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids as well.
Non-organic foods are almost always prepared with preservatives that make them last longer than their organic counterparts. As such, you are more likely to get fresher food when opting for organic choices from your local organic food store in Salt Lake City.
