The What and When of Buying Organic Foods

The concept of organic food as well as the terminology associated with it like "natural", "hormone free", and "free range" was not very wide spread fifteen or twenty years ago. Most people bypassed the organic food section without even seeing it. Today the benefits of organic food are more well known and making a difference in the way people shop. They are even using what they know now in choosing restaurants and ordering meals. However, not all organic foods are created equal. This is usually made apparent by their price and how obtainable they are.

For any food to carry the "USDA Organic" label, the United States Department of Agriculture (U.S.D.A.) requires specific criteria. The standards demanded have to do with how the food is either grown, produced, or manufactured. For instance, to be truly organic no food may contain anything synthetic like traces of fertilizers or pesticides. Ninety-five percent or more of the ingredients of any organic food must be all natural. Any animals used for organic foods must be completely antibiotic and growth hormone-free. However, if food is marked "Made with Organic Ingredients", only 70% of the ingredients are required to be organic.

The quality of food grown at local farms is likely to be higher than that of food that has been grown thousands of miles away and thus handled more before it reaches the local markets. Shipping from long distances raises the chances of the food losing some of its best organic benefits in transit. Nutritionists are big proponents of buying organic in order to avoid the high pesticide levels in products that are grown or produced commercially.

In the vegetable family, high amounts of pesticides are often found in potatoes, celery, spinach, bell peppers, and hot peppers. For fruit, the ones to watch out for are apples, peaches, strawberries, raspberries, pears, imported grapes, and cherries. In other words, although they are more a little more expensive, it is best to buy organic when shopping for these items.

The fruits found to contain the lowest levels of pesticides are pineapples, plantains, mangoes, bananas, watermelon, plums and kiwis. The vegetables found to contain the lowest levels of pesticides are cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, radishes, broccoli and onions. If on a tight budget, these foods provide a safer alternative when purchasing commercially produced products. Consumers should note that this is not the final word on the above products, but more a matter of the degrees of risk with these products versus those with higher pesticide levels.

It is easy to find tips online or elsewhere when looking for the best products in cookware or kitchen gadgets. Shopping for organic food usually requires a little more thought. The decision as to what organic foods to buy is a personal one based on individual tastes and budget. But the smart shopper should make a point of finding out what things have an effect on the quality of an organic product and what organic foods provide the best benefits. A choice to switch to organic should always be based on the facts.

Stan Dyer is a prolific writer and photographer residing in Colorado. To have organic food and products delivered to your doorstep, visit http://www.OrganicFoodeStore.com.