Green Guts: How the food you eat affects your health and the environment

When it comes to eating, you’ll see a lot of terms being thrown around by the environmentally conscious crowd like organic, natural, locally sourced, sustainable, etc. But what do these terms really mean, and how do they affect your health and the environment?

First, there’s the biggie: organic. Organic food has exploded in popularity over the years. Today, even small-time food chains are scrambling for ways to give their customers organic options. Organic foods are produced without synthetic products (which includes pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and antibiotics) or genetic modification. The farm where they are produced must also have a record of being free of synthetic products for several years. Furthermore, the term “organic” is regulated by the USDA, which means producers are licensed and periodically inspected. So, not just any food can carry the organic stamp. Environment-wise, organic products ensure that synthetic chemicals (and their harsh after-effects on the earth) are not used. It also ensures animals for meat are treated more humanly. From a health standpoint, most studies (although, more are being performed everyday) indicate there is no nutritional advantage to organic food; it contains all the same nutrients of non-organic food. However, your body is likely to benefit in the long run when not exposed to the synthetic chemicals in non-organic food.

If you’ve ever stood in the store with a jar of organic peanut butter in one hand, and jar of natural peanut butter in the other wondering if there really is any difference, know that there is. Natural food is usually minimally processed with minimal synthetic ingredients. The key word is “minimal;” all those things are still in the food. What’s more, the term “natural” is not regulated at all. Just about any food can be labeled as natural for very little reason and with no repercussion. Be sure to read labels on natural products to see what you are really getting.

“Locally sourced” is another term without regulation, but it means the product was grown or produced “locally” – usually within the same state or within 200 miles. Again, it’s not necessarily healthier for you, and it may not even be organic. However, local products are typically fresher and buying them supports your nearby farms and local economy. They also help the environment because they are not transported as far.

You’ve probably also seen food with a sustainable label on it. Sustainable foods are specifically harvested in ways that ensure the food can be continually produced without hurting the environment. This includes practices such as catching fish at a rate the species population can recover from, farming on soil without depleting its fertility, producing waste the earth is able to absorb, etc. Sustainable foods specifically lower the impact on the environment.

With this information in mind, you will be armed to make the choices best for you at your local grocer. Bon appétit!

NSU Newsroom

SharkBytes

Horizons

Other NSU News Sources

News Releases Archive

Contact

SharkBytes Archives

SharkBytes Categories

Contact

Green Guts: How the food you eat affects your health and the environment