ShopToEarth Defines Organic or “All Natural”
More and more companies are turning over an environmentally-friendly leaf and store shelves are filling to the brim with products claiming to be all natural and organic. We feel that it is important for ShopToEarth members to have a full understanding of what those labels mean to ensure you are choosing products that are truly Earth friendly.
Organic products are cultivated with the intention of working in harmony with nature. Fruits, vegetables, and grains are grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers, conventional pesticides, ionic radiation sewage sludge, and have not been bioengineered. Meat products come from animals raised without the use of antibiotics or growth hormones.
Organic products fall into one of three USDA defined categories – 100% Organic, Organic and Made with Organic Ingredients. ShopToEarth products labeled 100% organic means the it was made with all natural ingredients. ShopToEarth products with the Organic label means that its been made with at least 95% organic ingredients. ShopToEarth products that say Made with Organic ingredients means at least 70% of its ingredients are organic and that the other 30% adhere to strict rules including no Genetically Modified Organisms.
(photo credit: WordRidden @ Flickr)
One thing I’ve learned about labels is that you can’t always trust them. Some companies purposefully label things so as to confuse the consumer. It can be very overwhelming trying to discern which are whole and which are half truths on a label. This is a great Organic explanation and it will help me feel confident that what I am consuming is truly organic in spite what it’s label may say. Thanks for sharing it.