Some tips on what it means to buy and to eat organic foods
Q&A: Michelle Book, the Canadian Health Food Association’s (CHFA) in-house holistic nutritionist. Q: How do you know you are buying organic?
A: In order for a product to use the term organic on the label, it must be certified and be made of at least 95 per cent organic ingredients. The Canada Organic logo is a common symbol that identifies the product as organic and up to Canadian standards.
What does organic mean?
The term organic refers to the way agricultural products are grown and processed. Organic food is produced using environmentally and animalfriendly farming methods, and organic certification lets consumers know that every step along the supply chain has protected and maintained the organic integrity from farm to fork. In Canada, this system is overseen by government standards and regulations, and applies to both domestic and imported products. Canada’s organic standards are among the most widely recognized in the world.
Why does it cost more to eat organic?
There are a few reasons, one of the main being organic farmers often need to use manual methods of controlling pests and diseases rather than relying on synthetic chemicals. This increase in manual methods means an increase in time and/or resources, which costs more money. There are also costs associated with the certification process and planning that must be factored into the production of organic food.
What’s the difference between regular eggs and organic eggs? How about cheese and milk?
Hens, goats and cows that produce certified organic eggs, milk and cheese are fed certified organic feed that is free of growth hormones, antibiotics and GMOs. Standards are set to consider animal welfare, including access to pasture. From a nutritional standpoint, it has been reported that organic, free-range eggs have a better nutritional profile than conventional, battery-caged eggs. As for dairy products, a study of American milk products found that organic production improved the nutritional quality of milk.