It’s sometimes hard understanding food labels, what they mean and how they can affect one’s diet. Going into a grocery store almost ensures information overload. From the nutrition facts to dozens of labels proclaiming “organic” or “all natural”, it’s difficult to discern what type of food is right to consume. It isn’t enough, nowadays, to know whether the food that’s available is organic or not. Another important consideration. for instance, should be the conditions on how the food was prepared and packaged.
In this article, written by Gretel H. Schueller of Audubon Magazine, one may find a guide to what food labels are actually saying and which ones the average consumer should look out for.
Understanding Food Labels: What Do They Really Mean?
Take a look at your local grocer’s shelves and you’ll see food with stickers and packages promoting an array of feel-good, environment-friendly assertions—from “cage free,” “hormone free,” and “all natural” to “organic,” “fair trade,” and even “biodynamic.” There’s a reason for all this green branding. Since 2003 U.S. organic food sales have more than doubled, to roughly $25 billion. The booming demand for organic foods is making greenwashing more tempting—and more lucrative—than ever before. One study found that about a third of all new food products launched in 2008 claimed to be “natural.”
With all the different green food labels—there are about 100, depending on how you choose to define them—figuring out which ones are the most meaningful can be challenging. The mother of all eco-labels is, of course, “organic.” Experts say this one showed the way in terms of defining methods of growing food that are gentler on the landscape. But even “organic” has its limitations. For one, organic certification addresses neither working conditions for farm workers nor impacts on wildlife habitat or water quality. Original story here.
From “bird friendly” to “free range”, knowledge is important in understanding food labels. It is not enough to just read them and assume they mean what they do. Knowing what thy imply and how they relate to one’s diet is essential to choosing which foods to buy. There are a lot of components that make up a healthy lifestyle. Check out this article on organic labels for more informtion.
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