For all of us trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle it’s easy to question the origins of what we are putting in our bodies. More and more we ask ourselves, where does this come from and is it good for my body?

Nowadays organic products are the fastest growing segment of the agricultural market, what does that tell us? Are we becoming more aware and health conscious? I certainly hope so, but what does that really mean? Should we trust the labels or is there more to learn behind the actual industry definition of “Organic”?

According to The USDA National Organic Program (NOP) “Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled “organic,” a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.”

The problem with this industry terminology is the labels, for a product to be called “100% organic” it must contain all organic ingredients, but if the label just says “organic” then the story is a very different. When the label says “organic”, a processed food product can actually have up to 5% of non-organic ingredients (by weight) – these ingredients need to be on the USDA’s national list of approved non-organic ingredients. Back in 2007 38 non-organic agricultural ingredients were added to a list of only 5; 19 food colorings, 2 starches, casing for sausages, hops, fish oil, gelatin, celery powder and a sweetener within others. Although the Organic Trade Association received this expanded list with arms wide open some farmers were concerned about jeopardizing the credibility of the organic products out there.

With big the big food companies out there trying to capture a market that was created years ago to support smaller farmers and producers this can become really confusing for the day-to-day consumer. I personally find myself reading labels more often looking for all natural products instead of focusing so much in “organic” and instead of going to grocery stores I find it much more fun and simple to go to my local farmers market while supporting and promoting local and sustainable grown food.