Natural and Organic 101
Do you feel confused navigating the aisles of a grocery store due to confusion from claims and labels? Registered dietitian nutritionist Anna Smith with Kroger Co., says this is a common complaint from her new clients. Anna works inside of the popular grocer Kroger helping customers become more informed shoppers by breaking down the claims and labels often found on products such as natural and organic. Anna is sharing three tips to become an informed shopper:
? Investigate the Ingredients: It is important for you as a consumer to become an ingredient investigator when shopping the aisles. One word you might see quite frequently on packages is natural - all natural, natural flavors, natural colors, natural ingredients etc. But however you may find it on the package, what is important is learning the definition. The term natural is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) because at this time there is no legal definition. The only place natural is currently regulated is in meat, seafood and egg products by the USDA; this government organization ensures these proteins are free of any artificial ingredients and coloring. Even though natural is not regulated, some manufacturers go above and beyond to make sure their products contain no artificial ingredients, colors, or flavoring such as Traditional Medicinals. This wellness tea company flavors their variety of teas with essential oils and herbs only. So the next time you begin your morning with a cup of their healthy, flavorful tea, you can appreciate their hard work to ensure you have the best quality product.
? Learn the Logos: Learning logos can help you find products that align with your health goals. As we learned above, some logo?s are harder to obtain than others. One logo that is highly regulated is the USDA Organic seal. Farmers work very hard to get certified organic; this process takes about three years and requires the farmers to abide by many rules regulating their soil quality, animal raising practices, use of additives, and pest and weed control. Consumers should understand that organic does not define a product?s health content, but instead this term is referring to the farming techniques that helped make the product. Some companies like Love Beets offer both organic and non-organic products to satisfy their customer?s wants. Love Beets makes several varieties of beets, beet juices, and beet powder that are a delicious antioxidant rich veggie choice. If you select their organic cooked beets to throw on top of your lunchtime salad you can know that those beets are not only giving you many health benefits, but they are also farmed without any synthetic fertilizers or pesticides.
? Simple is Best: There are plenty of other products out there that do not claim to be natural and are not certified organic, but still contain quality ingredients that make them a good choice. I always encourage my clients to get in the kitchen and make it themselves if they can, but there are sometimes when the convenience of a product is needed. In that case, it is important to check out that ingredient list once again this time looking for minimal, simple ingredients. Popcornersis an example of a quality product that only contains three ingredients ? non GMO yellow corn, sunflower oil, and sea salt. This is a great chip alternative that is popped instead of fried and is packed with crunch and flavor. If you dive a little deeper, you?ll find that this company works with small family owned farmers to provide the best and quality ingredients in their products.
Navigating the aisles of a grocery store do not have to be complicated if you are equipped with the right knowledge to translate the labels. If you would like more help incorporating new products into your daily diet all while understanding the ?why? behind them, I encourage you to seek our a retail dietitian in your area. A dietitian?s job is never to install fear on avoiding a food, but instead it is to educate customers with the facts so that you feel that you can make an informed when selecting products.
This article was contributed by Anna Smith, MS, RDN, LDN registered dietitian nutritionist with The Little Clinic (inside select Kroger locations). For more information about dietitian services, visit www.thelittleclinic.com/dietitians.
