The Truth About Food Labels

Free-range, grass-fed, grass-finished, natural, local, and organic… these words seem to spark a lot of confusion when shopping in the grocery stores and seem to be everywhere. Let’s dive in and learn what these claims truly mean so that you can educate yourself about where your food comes from and how it’s been produced. There has been much controversy around the quality of different types of food, specifically organic. Do you find yourself questioning if the food you are buying is really organic? Do you question if you need to spend all this extra money on these claims? Some people think organic is expensive and unnecessary , while others find it safer and more nutritious. I believe you need to do what’s best for you. Not everyone can afford to eat organic and some pick only certain foods to eat organic, like the dirty dozen.

Research is inconclusive but there are some nutrient rich reasons to eat organic or local produce. Organic produce may be significantly higher in antioxidants when compared to conventional produce. When I say conventional or industrial agriculture, I am describing a system of growing that uses technology and synthetic chemicals to help increase the production of that crop. The conventional produce can have four times more pesticide residue than organic produce and it tends to be more taxing on the environment. Also, locally produced foods have less of an impact on the environment because they don’t have to be shipped from far away places. It’s important to get involved with your local CSA’s and keep our farmers growing. I will touch more on this along the way.

Are you a smart shopper? I am now! I wasn’t always this knowledgeable on shopping and reading labels as I am now. I’ve learned a lot along the way and I love that I can share it with all of you. If you buy your produce from a grocery store, price lookup (PLU) codes can be a helpful tool when distinguishing between organic and conventional. Foods that are organic typically have a five digit PLU code that begins with the number 9. Conventional produce has a four digit code and usually begins with the numbers 3 or 4. For example, if a tomato has a five digit code of 94011, it’s organic, and if an eggplant has a code of 4011 it has been grown conventionally. This system is optional, so not all produce will have this label. Next time you are in your local supermarket, check to see if they are using this method.

There are so many food label terms, it’s difficult to remember them all and even hard to distinguish what they mean for us. Do you struggle to find the best types of eggs, meat or poultry to buy for your family? Keep reading! This should help you on your next trip to the grocery store. Let’s begin with the term antibiotic-free. This means that an animal was not given antibiotics during its lifetime. This label is not allowed on meat or poultry products in the United States but they can be used on dairy products. The only terms allowed on meat products in the United States is raised without antibiotics and/or no antibiotics administered. Confusing, right? Another one we see a lot is cage-free. This means that the birds are raised without cages. However, it doesn't specify if the birds were raised outdoors at pasture or if they were raised indoors in overcrowded conditions. If you want to buy eggs, poultry or meat from an animal raised outdoors, you need to look for the label that says pastured or pasture-raised. These animals were raised on a pasture where they were allowed to eat grass and other plants rather than being fattened up on grains in a barn or a feedlot. They are raised humanely and were allowed to move around freely. A similar term that can confuse you is free-range or free-roaming. You will find this label on eggs and poultry only. Yes, these animals were given access to the outdoors but they did not necessarily spend the majority of their time outdoors. It also doesn’t mean that the products are cruelty free or antibiotic free. Let’s take the term certified naturally grown. This term means organic but the farmer may have found it to be too expensive or time consuming to get or maintain this USDA label. This label means that the food was grown using responsible soil management methods, without synthetic pesticides on plants or hormones and antibiotics on animals and without genetically engineered seeds. If a product has the USDA seal, it means that 95-100% of its ingredients are organic. Products with 70-95% organic ingredients can still advertise organic ingredients on the front of the package but if it has less than 70% organic ingredients, then it can only be advertise on the side panel. No hydrogenation and trans fats can be used on an organic label. There are other criteria for holding an organic label such as, agricultural farms and products must employ conservation, manure management and crop rotation practices, sustain animals on 100% organic feed and keep records of all operations.

Bioengineered is a label that must be used on any foods that contain one of the thirteen bioengineered foods available across the world such as alfalfa, corn, canola, cotton, eggplant, apples, pineapple, papaya, sugar beets, squash, potatoes, salmon and soybean. It is required by the United States government on foods that contain detectable genetic material that has been modified through lab techniques such as the ones above. Corn, which was once highly nutritious 20 years ago, is now so genetically modified and found in so many of our foods in the form of corn starch, corn flour, corn oil just to name a few. It also helps extend shelf life which consumers love because it reduces waste. Corn is also widely used for biofuel production and genetic modification can improve its efficiency and sustainability as a biofuel source. There has been much ongoing debate about the safety, the potential environmental and health risks, and the ethics associated with GMO’s. How do you feel about this topic? Dig around. Be informed. Knowledge is power!

Another label we see out there is grain-fed. This means animals are raised on a grain diet. Check labels for a claim that says 100% vegetarian diet to ensure that the animals were given feed containing no animal by-products. Many people ask me what is the difference between grass-fed and grass-finished. Grass-fed animals were fed grass rather than grains. Grass fed meat is leaner and lower in fat and calories than grain-fed meat. They are also treated more humane. These animals are not fed grain, animal by-products, synthetic hormones or antibiotics to promote growth or prevent disease. However, if the farmer needed to treat a disease, antibiotics are given. Also grass-fed doesn’t mean the animal necessarily ate grass its entire life. Some grass-fed cattle are grain finished, which means they ate grain from a feedlot prior to slaughter (for lack of a better word). Grass-finished means the cattle ate nothing but grass for their entire lives.

Let’s touch on a few more important labels to familiarize yourself with when food shopping. Hormone-free… The USDA has prohibited the use of the term hormone-free for certain animals. Those animals raised without added growth hormones, such as cows, can be labeled “no hormones administered” or “no added hormones.” By law, hogs and poultry cannot be given any hormones. How often are you asking your butcher or farmer if the meat is free from hormones? Next, the label natural always makes me raise my eyebrows. Natural foods are not necessarily sustainable, organic, humanely raised or free from hormones and antibiotics. Meat and poultry products labeled natural only undergo minimal processing and cannot contain artificial colors, artificial flavors, preservatives or other artificial ingredients. Processed and ultra-processed foods can put this label on its box and have no clear meaning because there are no standards that exist for this label.

I’ll end with this last label, which is extremely important to me. Local… Local refers to food that is grown within 100 miles of where it’s purchased. Local food can be conventional or organic and may or may not contain GMO’s. However, local food is fresher (more nutritious produce) and often tastes better because it is harvested at the peak of its ripeness and does not need to travel long distance to reach us. Talk about farm to table! Local farmers tend to use more sustainable and natural farming practices, which can result in healthier soil, plants and animals. Buying local provides clarity as to where the food is sourced. Supporting local farmers help to preserve farmland and protect biodiversity. When we buy from local farmers, we are helping to ensure that farmland is used for agriculture rather than being developed for other purposes, for example, housing. This can help protect natural habitats and support the survival of local plants and animal species. It also helps boost the local economy. When we buy local produce, we are putting money directly into the hands of local farmers and supporting their livelihoods. This helps strengthen local businesses and creates jobs. To me, this is one of the most important labels out there. Please support your local farmers, if you can. We need them and they need us!

These truths about food labels can be overwhelming and confusing. I hope I was able to minimize your uncertainty for the next time you walk into a supermarket. Even if you only take away a few key points, it will improve your health and well-being. Over time, shopping will get easier and become a new lifestyle. You will love yourself for making these changes gradually. Good luck on your next shopping tour!