Food Labels Demystified

I was so confused by all the information I heard on TV and read in magazines, that I decided to do my  own research.

There are no laws regarding the following labels:                                                                                                   Natural                                                                                                                                                   Hormone Free                                                                                                                                       Free Range

I found that the US Department of Agriculture, the USDA, has created an organic seal.  The following requirements must be met for a food product to be labelled organic:

1)  It cannot contain any synthetic ingredients                                                                               2)  95% of the ingredients must be organic                                                                                     3)  Meat, eggs, poultry, and dairy products must come from animals which                                       have never been fed growth hormones or antibiotics.  These products                                       are hard to find.

Personally, I do purchase free range chicken.  If I eat it and it tastes like chicken I ate as a child in the 1950’s and 1960’s, I will purchase that brand again.

Watch out for foods containing less than 95% organic ingredients – they are not eligible for the organic label.   Make sure you purchase these items from a trusted source.

http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELDEV3004446

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