Natural vs. Organic
14 July 2008
Are my eggs from happy chickens?
I spend an average of $3.69 on a dozen eggs and it suddenly occurred to me that the product actually says – cage free hens not free-range hens. All this time I have been purchasing these eggs, imagining happy chickens scratching and pecking their way around a large expanse of un-fenced farm yard. It turns out that this may not be necessarily so.
Although the package may say “free range” or “cage free” there is no hard and fast legislation or regulations on what an egg distributor can put on their packaging. The term “free range” is supposed to mean that the animal has been allowed to roam freely rather than being caged or contained in some manner. The goal is to let the chickens (or other animal) wander where they want to, allowing them the opportunity to live a happy and stress free life regardless of whether the ultimate intention is to sell it for food. The US Government doesn’t really have stringent rules or regulations on whom or what can be called by that term. In reality that label does not guarantee the animal has been treated as nicely as you (or I) hope.
The term is usually applied to meat, eggs, and dairy farm produce. Specifically in the case of eggs, the term free-range has no legal definition in the United States; therefore it means that free-range egg producers do not have to have a common standard on what that term means to you and I. Many egg farmers sell their eggs as free range merely because their cages are two or three inches above average size, or because there is a window in the shed. Not what I am hoping for when I pay the extra $1 or more for the free-range option, my hope is that for the extra $’s the chicken is afforded a more humane lifestyle than the cheaper egg producing chicken.
It doesn’t just stop with our chickens or the eggs. “Natural” can be another misleading term on a label. A producer may label their fresh meat product as “Natural” provided it is minimally processed and contains no artificial ingredients or added colors. There should be an explanation on the label as to why the product is “natural” i.e.: no dyes, or preservatives for example. Buying a product labeled with this tag line does not necessarily guarantee the product you are buying is as pure as the organic alternative but it is certainly going to be a better purchase than the bright pink dyed sausage on the shelf next to it. ‘No hormones or antibiotics’ gets applied to many meat products on the market nowadays, and rightly so, certainly look for this tag line on any meat you purchase. Note: Pigs and poultry are hormone free by federal law hence the reasons those products do not list this as a selling point.
For the best quality look for products bearing a “certified organic” sticker. Although critics are starting to complain that the organic label is overused and not as regulated as it could or used to be. Interestingly enough many of the organic, earthy looking, products now on our supermarket shelves are produced by the giant corporations putting out the lesser and cheaper food right next to it, Kellogg’s own Morningstar farms, Kashi and Sunrise Organic, and Coca Cola owns Odwalla. At Colette Cope’s Blog we find more large company ties to our favorite organic products.
Also, Good Magazine recently produced a list of the large companies in relation to the organic products we now see on our supermarket shelves.
In the end its not necessarily who makes it, as much as what it will do to your overall health. To make sure the products you are purchasing are the best for you that they can be look carefully at the label. Be aware that natural products or flavoring can actually be anything from MSG to sugar. Free range may not mean your chicken is wandering the farm acreage in northern Wisconsin as you imagine and the way the package looks might not reflect the actual ingredients on the reverse side. When in doubt avoid pre-packaged processed food products, and remember that often the healthiest and easiest way to shop is by staying on the outer edges of the supermarket. For more information on buying organic and natural products check out this article at MSN health.
Make an adjustment: Stay Healthy ~ Be Happy: Call Dr. Paul or Dr. Susan to schedule your next wellness appointment at 303.674.1500 or email office@fontanachiro.com
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