Top Ten Myths about Organic Food
Truth is stranger than fiction. For most of us, the definition of “organic” is pretty straightforward: “food grown and produced without the use of synthetic pesticides, growth hormones, or antibiotics.”
But in reality, the term “organic” is a little more complicated.
The organic label doesn’t only mean the food hasn’t been sprayed with synthetic chemicals. There are some very specific criteria that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says must be met for a food to be certified organic.
In addition, the term “natural” is commonly used as an alternative to “organic,” and it also has its own set of guidelines.
Here’s what you need to know about what it means to be certified organic and natural, along with some of the most common myths and misconceptions about organic food.
Myth: Organic food is better for the environment.
Fact: There are a lot of different ways to be environmentally friendly. Some people advocate for organic food because they’re concerned about the environmental impact of synthetic chemicals and genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
However, there are many other ways to be more eco-friendly.
In fact, there are many certified organic foods that are produced using chemical-free, non-GMO methods, and there are other certified organic foods that are grown and produced using environmentally-friendly methods.
The key is finding a food that fits your personal health and lifestyle preferences, rather than using the term “organic” as a way to justify a certain lifestyle choice.
Myth: The use of pesticides and herbicides on non-organic crops makes organic food safer.
Fact: If a product has a USDA organic label, it doesn’t mean that it’s been certified to be free of pesticides and herbicides.
There is some overlap between the two, but the USDA is not an independent organization.
The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) is an independent organization that works with the USDA to certify that organic standards are being met.
The NOSB doesn’t have any regulatory authority over the use of pesticides and herbicides on crops, and it doesn’t have any say over what crops can be grown and harvested without synthetic chemicals.
The only thing that the NOSB does is review all of the applications for organic certification, and they make sure that all of the standards are being met.
That means that the NOSB only checks to make sure that the crops being grown and harvested for organic products are certified organic.
But it doesn’t mean that the products are also free of pesticides and herbicides.
The NOSB doesn’t have any authority over the use of pesticides and herbicides on non-organic crops, and they don’t have any say over what crops can be grown and harvested without synthetic chemicals.