Organic vs. Processed Foods

Organic vs. Processed Foods
By Mary Smith

Organic foods are more popular than ever these days. But what
do you know about them?

Organic foods and processed foods are two of the types of
fruits, vegetables, and meats that can be found in grocery
stores these days. In relation to this, there are several
labels that are used in order to determine how much processing
food has gone through. One of the steps in determining how
nutritious your lifestyle is knowing whether there is a
difference in organic or processed foods. Knowing what is
contained in each and the effects that they have on your body
can help you decide which foods to eat.

The first thing to understand is the definition of the word
organic. When food is organic, it means that no preservatives,
added chemicals or other types of fertilizers and/or pesticides
have been added to the food. With meat, the animals can not have
been given any antibiotics or growth hormones. Usually, organic
foods must be approved by the USDA in order to be defined as
such.

Next are the definitions of “natural” and “processed.” These
types of foods can have preservatives, chemicals, fertilizers,
and pesticides added to them. The meat can have antibiotics and
growth hormones in it. Depending on the label of the food, there
will be different levels of these additives. There are several
reasons why this is done to the food. The first is to prevent
extra bacteria from growing on or in the food. The second is
that more food can be produced for the consumer. If the food is
being transported into a different area, these chemicals allow
the food to last longer. Another method that is used is
biotechnology and irradiation. These are becoming a standard
procedure in killing pathogens while keeping foods fresher than
they would have been otherwise.

Another type of food that is often seen is organic that has had
certain things done in order alter its content. Low-fat,
whole-wheat, gluten-free and reduced-sodium are some of the
popular labels that can be seen on processed foods. These foods
may be organic, but have been processed in order to provide a
different nutritional balance for your diet.

Organic food, however, still has to meet certain criteria in
order to be ready to buy. For instance, if the milk is not
pasteurized, it may contain bacteria that are not healthy for
the consumer and can cause problems. There are also some food
producers that do not follow the USDA guidelines for organic
food. The products may have pathogens even though they may be
available in the grocery store.

There are several different types of foods, all which have been
processed to varying levels. Grocery stores offer these
different levels of organic and processed foods to consumers.
Before going into a grocery store, know which type of food will
be better for you to consume. This will help you figure out what
balance of nutrition and food works best for you.