Do you need to read organic labels? YES.

Question: Does a Raw Foodist Need to Read Labels?

Answer: Yes!

With all the confusion that's going on out there about what is healthy to eat, the labeling of certain food products is still an important part of being a health conscious foodie.

That's right, reading labels isn't just for vegetarians anymore! Of course, the rules have changed over the years. Food "labels" aren't quite what they used to be, and sometimes we have to do more research into a company before we feel comfortable using their products.

How many times have you heard raw food experts or advocates say "When you go raw, you no longer need to read labels. An apple is just an apple. It's so easy!"

Sounds simple enough, right? I mean, why worry about what's in an apple, right?

With the plethora of incredible raw and raw related products, supplements, superfoods, and even new or exotic produce coming to market in the last few years, understanding labeling is becoming increasingly important for raw foodists.

In addition, there are new terms we need to be aware of for produce itself. Irradiation, GMO, biodynamic...


Raw Food Labeling: A Multi-Part Series on RFRN

So to help tackle this large topic, we are dedicating a series of posts on what you need to know regarding labeling of raw food products and produce.

We are going to aim to answer the questions: What do you really need to know about food labeling and how do you really understand what's in something these days?

We thought a good place to start would be organics, as mostly everyone is familiar with the term "organic" in the raw food world...or are we?


Organics: Important but Confusing

You may have heard conflicting information about how products can be labeled "Certified Organic". What's allowed, what's not?

Since labeling varies by country as well, we can't address every country, so we are going to focus on USDA Organic today and leave it up to you to do the research for your specific country.

(If you are not familiar with the importance of organics, do a brief read here: Organic Food on Wikipedia.)

What does the label "organic" actually mean?

A lot of people are under the assumption that if they see the word "organic" anywhere on a label, that the product is completely organically grown. Unfortunately, this is not true. We need to be a little more educated and aware when buying organics.

Let's clear this up. The following list shows how foods are allowed to be labeled under the USDA Organic program: (Source: Oregon Tilth)


100% Organic:

• All organic ingredients
• Any processing aids used must be organic
• No non-organic ingredients are used
• USDA Seal allowed
• Must list organic certification agent
• Example: 100% Organic Cereal

At least 95% organic ingredients:

• Remaining 5% can be non-organic allowed ingredients (i.e. vitamins, citric acid, baking powder)
• All agricultural ingredients must be organic unless not available
• USDA Seal allowed
• Must list certification agent
• Example: Organic Cereal

Made with Organic Ingredients:

• At least 70% organic ingredients
• Remaining 30% can be non-organic allowed ingredients (i.e. vitamins, citric acid, baking powder) OR non-organic agricultural ingredients
• USDA Seal prohibited
• Must list certification agent
• Example: Cereal made with organic oats, raisins, and dates

Products with less than 70% Organic Ingredients:

• Any level of organic ingredients
• No restrictions on remaining ingredients
• No certification claims can be made
• USDA Seal prohibited
• Only mention organic in ingredient listing
• Example: ingredients: organic oats, organic raisins

Only the true 100% Organic products out there can be labeled "100% Organic".

What's fascinating, is that products labeled "USDA Organic" can have up to 5% non-organic ingredients. While this is not necessarily a bad thing, it is a good idea to be educated and aware of what your product is claiming. For example, have you ever looked at a bag of Certified Organic dried apricots only to see that they contain some sort of sulfate?


What the USDA Organic Certification Can Guarantee You

The good news is, that the USDA Organic certification prohibits the use of GMO (genetically modified organisms) ingredients and irradiated ingredients. Bonus!

So, you may have heard that recently spinach and iceberg lettuce are now being irradiated...that's not entirely true.

Fact: This particular irradiation issue is not a law (like the almond pasteurization ruling), but a choice given to distributors of only conventional produce. They may irradiate their spinach and lettuce without telling the consumer if they want.

But no organic foods, by law, can be irradiated.

Solution? Buy organic!

(Source: Cornucopia Institute)


The Limitation of USDA Organic Standards

While the USDA Certification is a good thing, a lot of health conscious consumers, such as a lot of us in the raw food movement, want to make sure we are getting the best, most ethically grown and sustainable food ever.

There are certain companies and non-profits out there offering their own certification and labeling that are now being called by some "Beyond Organics".

Want to know who they are and what they represent? Stay tuned for Part 2 of this important series.

- JS Ohlander
Raw Food Right Now

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Heidi & JS Ohlander are the creators of Raw Food, Right Now!, a website dedicated to making the raw food diet fun and easy for everyone. Heidi & JS help bring raw food to your world by offering tips, news, and information on integrating raw foods into your daily life.

Visit their site at http://www.RawFoodRightNow.com