At a time when public awareness about the ill-effects of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides is increasing, consumer product manufacturers are becoming more savvy in their marketing techniques to fool you and increase their profits. Along with the image that represents a healthier product, they are happy to lead you to believe they are being environmental stewards by using "green-washing" verbage.
The most infamous word of choice these days seems to be "natural". While this word sounds appealing to consumers it brings no regulation in the food industry and does not provide you the protection of health and stewardship that you may be hoping for. When a product indicates that it is "natural", be aware that they may not be looking out for your best interest. To avoid exposure to chemicals in growth and processing and to aid in sustainable agricultural practices, look for "organic" as it is regulated by the USDA to monitor this. Use the following link to obtain information about the USDA's national organic accreditation program for those agencies that are compliant in protecting you.
http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5074486
Many of the listed accedited programs are very common, such as the Oregan Tilth and The California Organic Farmers Association. Be familiar with the products that you buy regularly to assure that their manufacturers are living up to the high standards necessary to keep you and your loved ones healthy. When organic is not available, try selecting other foods and experiment with new recipes. For the times when you just can't live without it and you can't find organic, refer to our earlier blog about pesticide exposure for the relatively safe non-organic fruits and veggies that are best picks.
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