There are many gimics food companies use to pull you in. Many of us are unaware of their deceptions, and they tend to entice us without question. Things like “Reduced Fat,” “Added Vitamins,” and so on. But what about the new craze sweeping over us? The craze I speak of is this huge desire for organic products. You see all sorts of these labels: “Organic,” “Made with Natural Ingredients,” “Free-Range,” etc. What do all of these mean? Are they all the same? Not at all. In fact, some of them may not mean what you think they mean at all.
Let us start with the big one: “Organic.” What is it? When most of us see this label placed on the front of our cereal, fruit, or vegetables (among other things) we just associate it as good. Well, we are right! Organic foods, when marked with an organic label approved by the USDA, means that it is produced with at least a 95% organic, non-chemically made product(s). There are no pesticides, fertilizers, or anything else that may be considered harmful to your body after you injest it. So go ahead and eat up!
While products labeled as organic are items that you know have nothing unnatural, there are still some items that try and deceive you. The term “Free-Range,” although can be a good thing, may be misleading. When we think of free-range eggs for example, we are led to believe that the chickens who produced them live(d) in a peaceful environment, where they are free to roam either indoors or outdoors. This can be very true, but it can also be very misleading. The USDA offers a very simple definition of what requires something to be labeled as “Free-Range.” It simply states, “Producers must demonstrate to the Agency that the poultry has been allowed access to the outside.” That is all! There are no other requirements, no additions to the definition, nothing. A lot of times, the companies who produce these eggs keep their chickens in huge warehouse looking enclosures with a roof on top. They way they consider themselves free-range is that they add a small access door on the side of the building. The chickens can technically go in and out, but there are so many of them that most will never find their way through the crowd to get outside before they die or are slaughtered. If buying free range animal products is important to you, you must do your research in order to find the farms that provide respectable living conditions for their animals.
Another term which can be very deceptive is “Made with Natural Ingredients.” Considering what I have already said, take a moment to try and figure out why this phrase can cause problems…
Figure it out? A company can legally label a food product with this if it contains at least two natural ingredients. However, if the product has two natural ingredients and 48 unnatural ingredients, are you really getting what you think you are getting? Absolutely not!
Don’t be duped into buying something because of what the box says. A company will put anything it can on their product to get you to buy it. The best advice is to read the ingredients. If you see something that you have never heard of, it is probably a wise idea to go with another product.
Our IUSB days 
carrcamp
December 9, 2011
As a college student, money is tight and I find it very difficult to afford what they advertise to be organic food. I frequent the South Bend Farmer’s Market and find myself spending more money on the organic foods versus Kroger’s or Martin’s genetically modified produce. This is most unfortunate because it comes down to whether or not I want to eat the best foods or break the bank. Why does it cost more for organic food when the non-organic food most likely has more costs that go into the production of the food? I would think less ingredients would cost less money.
prenticeng
December 12, 2011
It’s because the food is made so cheaply and at a much faster rate than farmers can produce organic foods. Making things much harder on the farmers that grow organic foods. If it gets to bad farmers they either have to sell their farm or industrialize it. I just go done taking a nutruition course and we talked alot about this subject.
w315lisad
December 12, 2011
Food marketers have become more sophisticated, yet cunning, when it comes to their “labelling” practices. More consumers need to become compulsive label readers and more informed on how to eat healthy while on a budget. A good starting point would be Michael Pollan’s book: The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals.
chadwickiusb
December 12, 2011
I’ve always been on the fence about organic food. Of course it is good for you, but with the organic trend in the market today the price for these foods has gone way up. It is terrible that these manufacturers are allowed to get away with labeling these foods as natural and organic just to jump on the bandwagon. But that old adage everybodies’ gotta eat comes to mind. I’m going to make sure I really check these labels the next time I’m shopping for organic food.
djandrewiusb
December 21, 2011
This was a very good blog and very informing. I never heard of factors such as, “free range.” eggs. Very interesting to know these facts about false orangic products let alone environmental factors relating to the mistreatment of poultry. Another good insight is the Made with natural ingredients ploy. A good idea to check what all is inside of a product to find out if these affect the natural ones. Also, did you know that many times if a product is totally organic, it could be less nutritious and tasteful than the non-organic product? Try an organic bananna and you can tell the difference but I think people should try and stick with the organic even if we have to take vitiamin supplements.