Category: Healthy Living

A Go-Getter’s Breakfast: How to Start the Day Right

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date February 2, 2018

There’s a reason why so many of us put such an emphasis on the food we eat and the fluids we drink: they’re the fuel that keeps our engine running! And, there’s a reason breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day. If you’re looking to start the day with all the energy you can muster, then it’s important that you’re starting your day with all the right things that’ll keep you going throughout the day. Breakfast sets the stage for what will play out for your day. Below, I suggest some things you may want in front of you as you begin your day.

Start the Day with a Large Glass of Water

You’ve spent the whole night sleeping, but guess what? You’ve been losing fluid all that time — especially if you’ve been sweating. That’s why it’s important that you have a large glass of water as soon as you wake up; indeed, this is one of the most underrated ways to wake up. It’s free and simple, and will jolt your body into life after many hours of slumber. Before you move onto all the other tasty food and drinks that can use to form your breakfast, you’ll be readying yourself for a day of action: All thanks to good old H₂O.

Mixing up the Fruit

And now that you’ve had your water, let’s think about the other natural goodness that nature provides: Fruit! Most people are content with having a banana or apple on their desk, but true go-getters know that the only way to start the day is with all the colors of the rainbow present in a bowl. Mix your favorite fruits all in one bowl, add some all-natural yogurt, and you’ll ensure that you’ve got a big dose of the all the essential vitamins that are oh-so-important to good all-around health. You won’t be able to achieve anything if you’re laid up in bed all the time!

A note about yogurt: Look for one that is high in protein and low in sugar. My favorites include Greek Gods, Zoi and Fage.

The Tried and Tested Way to Start the Day

Of course, not everything about having an energetic breakfast has to be new or exotic. The old tried and tested have a reputation for energy and alertness for a reason: They work. We’re talking, of course, about coffee. Rich in variety, they’ll provide the caffeine hit you need to feel alert and ready for action. Don’t like hot drinks when the weather is nice? Buy the best cold coffee maker, and get all the benefits of a cup of joe without the heat.

Breakfast of Champions

Some people make do with grabbing a snack and running out of the door. But you? Oh no, you’re different. To keep going all day, consider making what can only be described as a breakfast of champions. That’s eggs. Scrambled, poached, hard-boiled, no matter how you like to serve yours up, they are packed with protein that will fuel your body and keep you feeling fuller longer.

I just finished reading The Craving Cure by Julia Ross (review to be posted soon, but as a sneak peek — I really liked it!), and she recommends eating up to 10 eggs a week! They are an excellent source of protein and amino acids necessary for proper brain function. They are a great way to start the day.

Going Light

Not that there aren’t light options too! To keep things light footed, consider having a salmon bagel mixed with cream cheese, or a pancake with peanut butter on top. Full of energy and oh so delicious, you’ll be running around with energy to burn like it’s the last day on earth.

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Take Charge of Your Health!

Changing your eating habits can be tough. But it doesn’t have to be if you take a little time to think it out and create a plan.

This Healthy Eating Worksheet will walk you through the process of creating a healthy eating plan. All you need to do is print it out, set aside some time to complete it, and then fill it out. Then you can create your plan, knowing that you have addressed potential obstacles and came up with some creative ways to handle them.

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Healthy Living

Surprising Health Benefits of Coffee

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date January 4, 2018

Coffee — the beverage so many don’t even feel human without. There are downsides to drinking too much, but did you know that in moderation there are health benefits, as well?

How often have you heard the half-true jokes about how no one should speak to a certain person until they’ve had their morning cup of joe? Coffee is a huge part of our culture. So popular that you’ll often find coffee shops across the street from other coffee shops! Even fast-food restaurants serve the beverage.

Yes, too much caffeine (the addictive chemical found in coffee) can cause health problems. But, you’ll be glad to know that this beverage does have health benefits, as well — you may be a little surprised at what those benefits are. By the end of this post, you just might find yourself running to your local Le-Vel Thrive cafe for a latte.

Coffee improves energy and makes you smart

The benefit of a morning brew that we all know already is that it makes us wake up. The reason for this is that coffee contains caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant which is absorbed into the bloodstream and then the brain. It blocks a neurotransmitter called adenosine and when this happens we release dopamine which makes us feel happy and awake.

In turn, this can make us smarter and improve memory because our brain is able to work much more efficiently.

Be careful though, not all people can tolerate the stimulant effect. So don’t overdo it!

Java can help you burn fat

Did we just hear the sound of thousands of people cheering? Was that you?

Yes, it’s true. Drinking a cup of joe can help you to burn fat, and in turn to lose weight. The way it works is by speeding up our metabolism by up to 11%, which can help us to digest food better and therefore burn fat more efficiently. This is why you’ll often find caffeine in diet pills.

Coffee helps your physical performance

Caffeine comes into play again in the form of our nervous system. In the same way, as caffeine stimulates brain activity, it also stimulates the nervous system. This subsequently sends signals to fat cells to break them down as we exercise. Drinking a small cup of java 15 minutes before you work out can help your body during the workout.

A cup of joe contains some good stuff

Coffee isn’t just caffeine in water, it also contains a lot of micronutrients which can be a huge help to the overall function of our bodies.

One cup contains:

Magnesium and niacin: Together these nutrients are associated with improved energy and metabolism, heart health, and preventing diabetes.
Manganese and potassium: Manganese is an essential nutrient involved in many chemical processes in the body, including processing of cholesterol, carbohydrates, and protein. Potassium is necessary for the heart, kidneys, and other organs to function normally.
Riboflavin: Also known as vitamin B2, is an essential component of two major coenzymes that play major roles in energy production; cellular function, growth, and development; and metabolism of fats, drugs, and steroids.
Plantothetic acid: Another B vitamin (B5), this nutrient is among the most important of the B vitamins for the basic processes of life and is associated with energy production and fat metabolism.

Coffee lowers the risk of Type II Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is the more severe of the two types and is caused by spikes in blood sugar levels which cannot be controlled by insulin.

The reason for this is unknown at the moment, but coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of developing diabetes. It could have something to do with sugar being metabolized more quickly, but it is unknown exactly the reason.

Coffee could protect you from Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s is a disease which is caused by the cells in the brain prematurely deteriorating. It is a condition which affects many people all over the world and is the main cause of dementia in older people. There is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s, however, you can reduce the risk of developing this disease in the first place by drinking coffee. Because coffee stimulates the brain cells, it can also keep them healthy — leading to a lower risk of deterioration.

But Exercise Caution with Coffee

Yes, there are health benefits to drinking your morning latte, but like anything, overdoing it can cancel those benefits out. And, of course, not everyone will react to caffeine in the same way. In fact, caffeine has been known to put me to sleep! Also, many caffeine-containing beverages, including coffee, are acidic which is not so good for people with reflux disorders.

A cup of joe a day could keep the doctor away, but too many cups can put you in the doctor’s office — or emergency room — if you’re not mindful of what you put into your body.

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Creative Cookery Flavor Blending Healthy Living Special Occasions

5 Ways to Bake Healthy Christmas Cookies

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date December 15, 2017

Do you ever wish there were healthy Christmas cookies? I don’t know about you, but Christmas time is pretty much cookie time! I’m a total cookie monster and all those delicious varieties of cookies can add up to a lot of sugar and calories. So how do you enjoy your cookies and eat healthier, too?

The obvious idea is to eat fewer cookies. But that isn’t always practical, am I right? Another idea is to make healthy Christmas cookies. So, here are some ideas to make the cookies that you bake healthier, whether they become gluten-free, low-carb, or lower in fat and calories.

Healthy Christmas Cookies Idea #1: Switch to Dark Chocolate

Quite a few Christmas cookies contain chocolate, but that doesn’t mean you need to do without these yummy cookies when you are trying to be healthier. A better way to make healthy Christmas cookies with chocolate is to make the switch to dark chocolate.

Dark chocolate has slightly less fat and calories than milk chocolate. But more important, dark chocolate is good for you. It is filled with antioxidants, and sometimes even doctor-recommended. Add dark chocolate chips to your favorite Christmas cookies to make them a little healthier.

Healthy Christmas Cookies Idea #2: Roll Flatter Sugar Cookie Dough

A super easy way to cut the overall fat and calories per cookie with traditional sugar cut-out cookies is to roll the dough flatter. You are going to reduce the portion sizes but still, have some amazing sugar cookies. It is a simple way to get some cookies that will cut the nutritional facts in half, but by using the exact same sugar recipe your family is used to. It also lets you have more dough to make even more cookies than you are used to making. Of course, this doesn’t give you license to eat more of them. That will defeat your point!

Healthy Christmas Cookies Idea #3: Use Healthy Oils

Another thing that Christmas cookies often have in common is using a lot of fats, such as butter. However, you can easily make them heart healthy by cutting out those fats and instead switching to healthier oils.

Get rid of all the butter, shortening, and vegetable oil in the recipe, and opt for coconut oil or olive oil instead. There are even some substitutions that allow you to use pureed fruit to replace the fats and make them even healthier.

Tips for replacing butter for healthier oils:

Coconut oil — This is pretty much an even exchange, just be sure the coconut oil is the same consistency as the recipe needed for the butter. Cookies made with coconut oil tend to be crunchier.
Olive oil — For every Tablespoon of melted butter, use 2-1/2 teaspoons of olive oil. Remember to use a milder flavored oil and don’t try substituting in recipes that require you to cream the butter and sugar. Coconut oil would be a better option in that case.

Healthy Christmas Cookies Idea #4: Try Adding Some Dates

If you feel that your holiday cookies need to be sweeter, but you want to reduce the amount of sugar being used, you can replace the sweetness with dates. Dates are a type of fruit that tastes a bit nutty, but in general, has a mild flavor. They contain a lot of sweetness, so when you puree them and add them to your cookie recipes, it makes a big difference without adding to the fat or calories of the cookies recipes.

Healthy Christmas Cookies Idea #5: Increase the fiber

If your recipe calls for all-purpose flour, you can replace up to half of it with whole wheat flour. The resulting cookie may have a courser texture and then there may be less volume of dough, but you’ll increase the fiber of the cookie. Other ways to increase the fiber in your cookies include:

Add flaxseed meal to the dry ingredients. A single tablespoon can add 3 grams of fiber to your recipe.
Add ground high-fiber cereals to your recipes, such as oats, wheat germ, and wheat bran.
For moister cookies, replace some of the fat with applesauce.
Add grated apples or zucchini
Add nuts or seeds. In addition to increasing the fiber, they add texture and crunch.
Replace some of the fat with pureed beans, such as garbanzos or white beans

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Healthy Living

Curious About Superfoods?

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date October 31, 2017

I’ve written about superfoods before, in part because this is a trending topic and in part because I believe in their health benefits. That said, I understand that it can be hard to figure out the scientific fact from the hocus pocus nonsense that floats around the Internet about what you should and shouldn’t eat. Is it really that important to eat something pickled and yellow on a Tuesday as well as three leafy greens on a Saturday? The fanciful and faddy nature of dieting and healthy eating has made many people look at the idea of superfoods through cynical tinted glasses … and rightly so.

It is important that you are well informed about superfoods so you can use them for the benefit of your well being and health. What I like best about superfoods is that they can negate the need for yo-yo dieting, unrealistic weight loss programs and developing a poor relationship with food. Eating is meant to be a pleasure, and cooking is supposed to be fun and creative. By adding more superfoods to your diet, you are free to experiment with your culinary creations and reinvigorate your relationship with food.

The idea of superfoods really isn’t anything new. Remember the cartoon Popeye? Well, thanks to him, we’ve all known that spinach is an exceptional source of iron. It is rich in the leafy green version of omega 3 and aids in reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and bone weakness. The popular cartoon sailor would gulp down a can of the good green stuff to reveal larger muscles and a stronger physique. While this ventured into the realm of hyperbole, there was a strong element of truth in that animation. Spinach is good for your health. It always has been. Only recently has it had the label of ‘superfood’ attached to it. (By the way, I don’t recommend canned spinach — it tastes AWFUL!)

Superfoods are nothing new — it is the aura and ethos surrounding them that is now trending. People are making careers out of being superfood gurus when really all you need to use is your common sense and Google once in a while. Take a look at these foods that you should be adding to your meals to ensure that you are giving your health and wellbeing the attention they deserve.

Yogurt

[three_fourth] Anything fermented can sound pretty gross. (Although wine and beer are fermented and quite popular!) However, it is the fermentation process of the creamiest of yogurts that give it the seemingly infinite amount of good bacteria and probiotics that are so beneficial to our guts.

With a strong digestive system, we are more regular, IBS symptoms decrease, and we can feel less sluggish and more alert. Adding a dollop of natural or Greek yogurt to a handful of berries or fruit every day means you are getting a protein and calcium-rich snack that is a much healthier alternative to the candy, chocolate or processed fiber bar you might be used to. [/three_fourth][one_fourth_last] [/one_fourth_last]

Mushrooms

There are a ridiculous amount of mushrooms that you will come across when you meander down the relevant aisle of your local supermarket. And this is merely the tip of the iceberg. Whether you love shitake, can’t get enough of the oyster or simply adore the flat cap, mushrooms are full of iron, antioxidants and Vitamin D. As this is the vitamin that most humans on the planet struggle to get their daily allowance of, any time you can add a handful of button mushrooms to your dishes is beneficial.

Many varieties of mushroom contain high levels of selenium. A recent study showed that the higher your level of selenium, the lower your chances of contracting bladder cancer. This was especially pronounced for women. Mushrooms are tasty and nutritious. However, if you’re not the biggest fan of their texture, why not try reishi powder as an alternative? Reishi mushroom powder holds all of the natural goodness and health-promoting properties of the mushrooms you cook with, but you can take a simple supplement rather than go through the “trauma” of finding an enoki in your stir-fry.

Walnuts

The king of the healthy nuts, walnuts are a fitness fanatic’s dream. Just seven nuts have more omega 3 than four ounces of salmon. To give your immune system a bit of a helping hand, try to sprinkle some chopped walnuts over a salad for lunch or over your oatmeal for breakfast. There is, of course, nothing wrong with simply munching on nuts for a healthy snack.

If you are a gym bunny and like pumping some iron, you may be used to filling up on chicken, fish, and pasta. It pays to add some walnuts to your diet as they are rich in protein and can be an added string to your muscle building bow. Just be careful to avoid the mold that often grows on walnuts.

Berries

Goji and acai berries have had a bit of mixed press in recent years. There is no doubt they add nutritional benefits to any diet, but their elevation to superfood has come with some ridicule and extortionate prices to match. The whole hippyish persona that superfoods often have makes the average Joe feel somewhat sidelined. People often view superfoods as something that only commune dwelling vegans entertain when nothing could be further from the truth.

By adding a variety of berries to your diet, you will be bombarding your body with more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants than you can shake a stick at. The phytochemicals and nutrients that blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and cranberries contain can help lower your risk of developing cancer and are a delicious sweet snack alternative to the more refined sugar snacks of candy, brittles, and chocolate.

Cinnamon

This delicious spice is one of those additions to your diet that can aid in rebalancing your body. Adding cinnamon to your daily eating plan can help regulate your blood sugar levels (which is great for those with diabetes) and contains anti-inflammatory properties, as well. Your immune system will be boosted, and you may recover more quickly from ailments and infections. All of this doesn’t mean that you can have a daily pudding of cinnamon laden apple crumble or apple pie after your evening meal, but it does mean that you could add a cinnamon stick to your curry sauce and pasta ragu bases. I also like adding it to smoothies, oatmeal, and yogurt.

Beans

Whether you’re a fan of the flageolet bean or an advocate of the good old green bean, beans and legumes are one of nature’s cheapest and most nutritious superfoods. The key benefit of eating beans is that you are putting more soluble fiber into your body. By doing this, any cholesterol that is lingering around inside your body can be absorbed before it’s deposited on to your artery walls. By eating beans two or three times a week, maybe as a meat substitute, you are maintaining a healthy heart and reducing your risk of heart problems in the future. Your blood pressure will remain at a sound level and, if this wasn’t good enough, beans are full of antioxidants.

Add Superfoods to Your Life

You may not be a fan of the term superfood and all of the connotations that this it brings with it, but you cannot deny that some foods are heavily laden with a variety of health benefits. It pays to look at your current diet and make a list of any health issues that you may currently have. Take a look at this list of superfoods and attempt to work them into your meal plan. Before long you will begin to feel the health benefits and continue to be motivated to stick to a well balanced and nutritionally healthy way of eating.

Tags beans, berries, cinnamon, legumes, mushrooms, superfoods, walnuts, yogurt

Healthy Living

Looking for Healthy Recipe Ideas? Here’s Some Inspiration

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date October 19, 2017

For many, eating healthy can be tough. That’s why it’s something you have to make the decision to commit to. Having a generally healthy diet is better for you than yo-yo dieting and limiting what you eat when you want to lose weight. However, if you’re trying to be a healthy eater, you can sometimes get bored or frustrated. I know I’ve been there. Sometimes you just what to put a frozen pizza in the oven. And that’s OK sometimes, but just don’t do it all the time. If you often find yourself getting bored of eating the same old things, you need to keep discovering a new healthy recipe to enjoy. That’s part of the mission of Carma’s Cookery, to help you be more creative in the kitchen. The good news is this: It’s easier than you might think to find healthy food you’ll love.

Healthy Recipe Inspiration Idea #1: Look Online

If you’re stuck for ideas and you need one quickly, looking online is always the best thing to do. However, you might get a little overwhelmed if you’re not great at making choices. Simply searching for healthy recipes will get you started. But if you want to narrow it down, try adding some extra keywords like quick, mid-week, soup, protein, or anything else you think of. You can find huge archives of recipes, like Food Network, as well as people sharing recipes on their blogs and personal sites. And if you need some extra guidance, there are plenty of videos too.

My Favorite Recipe Sites

Taste of Home: Home cooked recipes for all types of people.
AllRecipes.com: A great resource! Pretty much anything you could want to make can be found here.
Betty Crocker: I’ve got the cookbook at home, and love receving recipe ideas from their weekly email.

Healthy Recipe Inspiration Idea #2: Follow the Fads

Sometimes, seeing what’s currently popular can be a great way to find some new ideas. There are always newly popular healthy foods that can help to inspire you. If you take a look at the healthy food trends in 2017, you’ll find things like jackfruit, skyr, and coconut flour. All of these ingredients can get you thinking, or you can just search for recipes that use them. Of course, sometimes these healthy foods can be hard to find if they’re not well-known. Try buying them online or looking for specialty shops that sell healthy food or perhaps ingredients from around the world.

Healthy Recipe Inspiration Idea #3: Buy New Recipe Books

If you enjoy cooking, you probably like leafing through a new cookbook. Although lots of people just use the internet these days, a recipe book can be lots of fun. I love my collection! Crucially, they tend to have lots of recipes from one chef. This is great if there’s someone you like and who you know can offer you lots of healthy recipes. If you want healthy food, look for books with a healthy theme. They might be vegetarian or vegan recipes, or they could just have a healthy twist to them. For some ideas, take a look at the cookbooks I’ve reviewed.

Some of My Favorite Healthy Cookbooks

The New Laurel’s Kitchen: I swear by her recipe fo soy burgers!
Whole Body Reboot: The Peruvian Superfoods Diet to Detoxify, Energize, and Supercharge Fat Loss: I love leafing through the pages for inspiration
The Six O’Clock Scramble Meal Planner: I have to admit that after receiving a review copy of this cookbook for people with diabetes, it has become my go-to when I want quick, healthy meal ideas.

Healthy Recipe Inspiration Idea #4: Turn to Health and Fitness Groups

If you’re looking for a source of healthy recipes, other healthy people can help you out. You don’t necessarily have to be losing weight to benefit from the recipes from dieting and fitness groups. They often have great suggestions for making healthy swaps in your ingredients too. Maybe you’re also a member of a running group, you attend a fitness class, or you have friends at the gym. You can ask for healthy recipe recommendations to try out.

You don’t have to run out of ideas for healthy food. There are so many things you can cook, so stay inspired and creative.

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Healthy Living

5 Healthy Snacks That Are Great To Eat In Front of the TV

Post author By Guest Post
Post date October 13, 2017

Settling down in front of the TV is a beloved American past time, and thanks to at-home streaming services like Netflix, TV has become more than just a Saturday night hobby. Getting ready for a night camped out on the couch takes some preparation if you want to get the most out of the experience. Whether you’re watching Rick and Morty or binging the latest season of Orange Is the New Black, the right snacks are essential for the optimal viewing experience. Why not make them healthy snacks?

Don’t settle for potato chips or an unsatisfying candy bar that’s over before it’s even truly begun; it’s time to master the art of TV snacking.

There are two facets of TV snacks that must be met for maximum pleasure: They have to be easy and quick to make (no more than 5 minutes of prep time) and they have to meet you halfway between healthy and delicious.

Healthy Snacks Idea #1: Home-popped Popcorn

You might think that buttery, calorie-loaded popcorn is one of the worst snacks, but it’s actually quite healthy when prepared properly. You don’t even need your own popper to prepare; just put three to four tablespoons in a brown paper bag and microwave for 2 to 3 minutes.

A cup of popcorn without butter is just 31 calories! Just lightly season with your preferred seasoning and prepare to munch and crunch with delight all evening!

Healthy Snacks Idea #2: A Cheese and Fruit Plate

Sounds fancy, right? Fruit and cheese are great healthy snacks. You can slice up an apple and use snack cheeses that are already wrapped in serving size portions, or you can buy a block and cut up your own.

Don’t be afraid to experiment and try pairing different fruits and cheeses like fresh pears and brie.

Healthy Snacks Idea #3: Pizza Bagels

Grab a pack of bagels from the supermarket, add some tomato sauce and a sprinkle of your favorite shredded cheese. Pop them in the oven and toast at 375 degrees F for 3 to 5 minutes. For some extra flavor, try everything bagels instead of plain.

Healthy Snacks Idea #4: Peanut Butter and Apples

Peanut butter is actually healthy in the right quantity. Scoop two tablespoons into a small bowl and slice up an apple to enjoy as a sweet treat. If you prefer your TV snacks more on the savory side, then grab some celery, lightly dust with salt, and dip into the peanut butter for a delectable contrast.

Healthy Snacks Idea #5: Roasted Chickpeas

If you like nuts, then roasted chickpeas are a great reduced fat alternative. Chickpeas are flavorful, high-fiber beans with a subtle taste that is truly brought out with a light coating of olive oil and some seasoning (rosemary is used in a lot of recipes, but try a mixed blend for some variety!)

You can find a great recipe for your own roasted chickpeas here.

Healthier TV Snacks for Everyone

Whether it’s pizza bagels that double up as a snack and TV dinner for the whole family or a tantalizing fruit and cheese spread for two, healthier TV snacks aren’t nearly as elusive and difficult to make as you might think.

The best way to make healthier snack choices is to look for alternatives that have the same consistency as the junk food you love. If it’s crunch you’re after, turn to vegetables. If it’s the sugary goodness of candy, then consider fruits. When it comes to cooking, you can ditch the butter and margarine in favor of healthy oils like sunflower or olive.

You don’t have to completely kick junk food to the curb, either. Sometimes, we just need to evaluate our portions and make sure we’re actually eating the recommended serving size of our favorite snacks instead of finishing a box in one sitting.

We hope these five snacks will put you on a path toward healthier eating in front of the TV. Happy viewing!

About the Author

Katrina is on the content team at www.householdappliancejudge.com. She can be found around the web writing about health, nutrition, relationships, family and other lifestyle concerns. Katrina enjoys cooking, comedy and spending time with her adorable (but exhausting) young family.

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Healthy Living

Do you know what “organic” really means on the label?

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date October 12, 2017

US Organic Food Producers Ought to Better Educate US Consumers

I have a friend who is really strict with her diet due to some health problems she has. This weekend, we had a discussion on what “organic” means on U.S. food labels, how misleading that label can me, and about organic foods in general. Some insightful research published through ReportLinker and developed by the HPS Food Group indicates that the usual U.S. buyer of organic food products, whether frequently or infrequently buying, doesn’t fully understand what protocols those products go through for USDA certification or what the word “organic” really indicates.

What “Organic” Really Indicates

For a food product to carry the description “organic” on its labeling, it has to have been made in accordance with strict protocols which were first put in place by the USDA in 2002. “Organic” does not necessarily mean that a product is 100% organic; it does, however, indicate that it’s a minimum of 95% organic. “Organic” is not the same thing as the (labeling-wise) undefined word “natural” used in food labeling. (“Natural” simply tends to mean predominantly free of artificial ingredients.)

A farm or food manufacturer must be certified by an agent from the USDA’s NOP (National Organic Program) to be permitted to label its product “organic.” For that business to continue putting “organic” on its labels, it must be inspected and recertified by NOP each year. Imported foods to the US labeled “organic” have to meet the same standards; if it’s found that an imported food doesn’t meet them, then it’s producer will be told to remove the “organic” label or face prosecution from the USDA’s attorneys.

A Growing Demand for Organic Foods

From 2002 through 2016, the number of certified organic foods producers in the US grew by 237%. The total amount of land now devoted to growing crops organically in the US has reached more than 4.36 million acres (6800 square miles), an amount of land more than double that comprising the state of Delaware.

Cultivated lands certified as devoted to organic food production are forbidden from having any synthetic chemical pesticides used or GMO crops grown on them. However, naturally-occurring pesticides and pest control methods are used. What’s more, crops made through the process of mutagenesis are also grown on these lands.

From 2005 through 2015, the sale of organic food products in the US grew by more than 200%. This rate of growth far outpaces that of total food product sales (31%) in spite of organic foods being significantly more expensive, which shows how important organic eating has become to a great many American households. In fact, if the organic food industry were, itself, a single corporation, it would now be featured on the US Fortune 100 list of companies.

Ultimately, food consumers in the US believe that food producers, rather than the government, the media, or consumers themselves, ought to shoulder the responsibility of making it clear and easy to understand exactly what “organic” labeling means. With Americans obviously hungry for more organic foods, it would be in the best interests of organic food producers to make a stronger push to educate US food consumers.

In the meantime, you can educate yourself with the resources listed below. Or you can try your hand at growing your own organic vegetables.

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