One of the most confusing aspects of being a green grocery shopper is the number of terms, labels and seals of approval used in the food industry, including quite a few that promote environmental, social and animal welfare causes. We hope these labels will help guide our choices, but they often merely add to the confusion. It pays to know the difference between terms that are meaningful and those that are simply greenwashing. Read on to learn the important buzzwords and relevant terms you need to know.
Organic is a big-time buzzword in the world of food. But what exactly does it mean? In its most general sense, organic means that food is produced using environmentally friendly practices like soil and water conservation and the use of renewable resources. Organic farming methods, such as crop rotation, cover crops and the use of beneficial insects for pest control, maintain and enhance environmental harmony without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Organic animal production means the routine use of antibiotics and growth hormones is not allowed and also that the animal is fed organic feed, without any animal by-products.
Organically grown food is clearly better for the environment, but it also has a benefit to the consumer, which is why so many of us buy it.
Organic food decreases exposure to pesticides. Pesticides have a number of negative consequences, including the following:
Many stores now carry an organic store brand that is considerably cheaper than major brand named products. Whole Foods’ 365 brand is one example, but your local grocery chain may have one, too. It’s a smart way buy organic, as long as you’re not stocking up on organic junk food.
Organic food offers nutritional benefits over conventional products, including the following:
Organic food often comes at a premium price, sometimes up to 20 percent to 50 percent higher than similar conventional items. Because of the increased price, most of us have to limit our organic purchases to the most important items for our family. From a health perspective, you might want to choose the foods you or your kids eat the most.
Under the allure of the organic label, I let my son convince me to buy Organic Rainbow Rings. They sure looked a lot like Froot Loops, but somehow it seemed OK because they are organic. When I got home, I took to the Internet to find out if organic fruit loops are really any healthier than their mass-marketed counterparts. While munching away straight from the box, I found that my (I mean my son’s) Rainbow Rings did indeed score better than Froot Loops on a number of measures. They had 40 percent less sugar, no hydrogenated oils, one gram more protein and 50 percent of the recommended dietary allowance for folic acid (versus 25 percent). Whew! But, honestly, do we really need organic fruit loops? In some ways, I think it is organic overkill.
Here are some top foods to consider.
(Sourced from: “Dr. Greene’s Organic Prescription;” Prevention “The Dirty Dozen;” The Daily Green “The Dirty Dozen: Top 12 Foods to Eat Organic.”)
Look for the USDA Organic seal to ensure the product you are buying is certified organic. To use the seal, the following guidelines must be met:
(Sourced from the US Department of Agriculture.)
Keep in mind that many small farms use organic practices even though they are not officially certified organic. Organic certification is expensive and time consuming, making it impractical for some farmers. Smart produce sellers will put up signs indicating their goods are “pesticide free” or “grown without chemicals.” Don’t be afraid to ask vendors about their farming practices—if they’re selling at a farmers’ market, they should be used to those types of questions.
Many people believe that buying local food is best for the environment, even if it is not certified organic. That’s because the fewer “food miles” your food travels, the less energy it uses in the long run. Use your practically green sensibility to decide whether local or organic is the best choice for you.
The term natural is one of the most overused and misunderstood terms in the food industry. There is very little government regulation for the term, so it is used with abandon on all sorts of food products from fresh poultry to boxed cereal to frozen pizza. About the only thing natural really means is that it came from the earth, but not everything that comes from the earth is good for you. For example, chicken that has been pumped up with water, sodium and other additives can legally be labeled as natural, even though the excess salt isn’t good for you. There are efforts to change practices like these, but for the time being, take this term with a grain of, um, salt.
Sustainable agriculture is a way of raising food that is beneficial to the environment, humane to animals and respectful to farmers and farm workers. Food products do not have to be Certified Organic to be grown sustainably. For many farmers, sustainability is a way of life and is not necessarily a strict set of rules to follow. The challenge for the consumer is knowing what is truly sustainable because there are no federal standards other than Certified Organic. However, there are some reliable seals and certifications that embrace the principles of sustainability, such as Food Alliance, Demeter certified Biodynamic and Certified Humane. (See the Ecofriendly Food Certifications guide for more information about these and other seals of sustainability.)
Greenwashing is a term coined to describe the act of misleading consumers about the environmental benefits or practices of a product. With the popularity of the green movement, greenwashing has become quite common, especially in the food industry. Be on the lookout for:
Plant a garden and grow some of your own produce. If you don’t have room for a full garden, try a few container plants for tomatoes, peppers or herbs. It’s a great way to let your kids see firsthand where their food comes from. And what tastes better than a homegrown tomato?
There’s really no need to be intimidated by all the product choices in the store. Instead, you can be confident you are making smart, informed decisions based on what you learn in this chapter. Think of yourself as a green grocery superhero—boldly buying what is best for the environment and for the health of your family. Don your cape and come along for the ride as we hit the aisles to find the most valuable green grocery tips for each department in the store. And don’t worry, the green police won’t arrest you for making a less than sustainable choice every once in a while.
Typically the first section you hit in the grocery store, the produce department is a great place to start buying green. For most people, a complete switch to only organic produce is out of budget, but fortunately, there are other ways to make sure your fruits and veggies are sustainable for the planet.
The dairy farm where contented cows graze in large, open fields is more likely a fairy tale than a reality. Factory farms with less than ideal environmental and animal welfare conditions are the norm today. Fortunately, more sustainable options do exist—you just need to understand the label. And choosing a more sustainably produced product has benefits both for your health and for the environment.
Freeze fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables to use during the long winter months. Diced fruits are perfect for smoothies, or you can puree fruit and save it in small containers for sauces or toppings. Blanch (boil briefly and then chill in ice water) and freeze vegetables to throw into a hearty soup or stew at any time of year.
Recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) is a synthetic growth hormone given to cows to increase their milk production. It is bad news for cows because it can lead to an udder infection called It is bad news for cows because it can lead to an udder infection called mastitis and the need for antibiotic treatment. If you’re a nursing mom and have had the unfortunate luck to experience mastitis yourself, you’ll know what that means. It’s no fun for the cows either.
The side effects of rBGH on humans are subject to much debate. What is clear is that milk from cows treated with rBGH has high levels of insulin-like growth hormone (IGF-1). Some studies have linked elevated blood levels of IGF-1 to an increased risk of breast, colorectal and prostate cancers.
Hardly anyone I know can afford to buy all organic produce all the time. The “practically green” approach to managing this dilemma is to focus on avoiding the most heavily contaminated produce. Take this list with you to the grocery as a reminder.
Sourced from: Environmental Working Group “Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides,” with data from the US Department of Agriculture and the US Food and Drug Administration.
Meat production can be a mystery. That’s because most of us don’t really want to know about where the meat we consume comes from. But it is important to understand the impacts meat production has on our planet and our health. For one, the meat industry is a notorious environmental polluter. The production of a single hamburger patty requires enough fuel to drive twenty miles. There are also health concerns about residues from pesticides, antibiotics and hormones that can accumulate in the fatty tissues of animals and pass directly to those who eat the meat.
When shopping for meat, you will notice a slew of labels that identify the way the meat was produced. Be wary: Some of these labels indicate verifiable standards, while others are quite ambiguous claims with no legal meaning.
Choose the product you consume the most, whether it’s milk, yogurt, cheese or eggs, and try to buy organic at least half the time. That way you’re getting the benefits through the foods you eat the most.
Don’t be fooled into thinking brown eggs are healthier than white eggs. They’re not. They’re just brown. Some stores charge more because of a perceived health difference that simply doesn’t exist.
I find meat one of the most challenging food products to buy. The ambiguity in labeling can be quite frustrating at times. Take this example: I was shopping for ground beef and picked up a brand that claimed to be naturally and humanely raised and handled. This claim spoke to the values that are important to me, so into the cart it went. At home I took a closer look. The package bore neither of the recognized or federally sanctioned certifications for humanely raised meat that were familiar to me. Instead, the package stated the meat was “humanely raised and handled as verified by affidavit.” Maybe it was legitimate, but it was not verifiable by the average consumer. What’s the solution? Unfortunately, there is no easy answer. Ask your grocer for answers and use your best judgment.
The majority of the meat we eat comes from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), also known as factory farms. You wouldn’t want to discuss the details of a CAFO in polite company, but just know that concerns abound about these enormous livestock operations, including issues of animal welfare, public health and environmental impact. If you would rather not support factory farms, buy Certified Organic meat instead.
One of the most impactful things you can do for the environment is to eat less meat.
Here’s how to pull it off:
How do you view seafood? As a special treat, an important dietary staple or a potentially dangerous substance? The seafood industry has been plagued by conflicting messages about the health impacts of consuming seafood and about the negative environmental effects of large-scale seafood production. On the positive side, fish has been lauded as a source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. For that reason, the American Heart Association recommends you eat fish at least twice a week. On the flip side, concerns about the mercury content in some fish have people thinking twice about serving seafood for dinner.
Our love of seafood has some big-time environmental consequences as well. Overfishing has led to a risk of extinction of popular species and is unsustainable in the long run. Fish farming, the seafood industry’s answer to the supply problem, is not a sustainable solution either.
Fortunately for seafood lovers, it is possible to find seafood from sustainable sources. Look for the Marine Stewardship Council logo to assure you the product is certified sustainable and use the Sustainable Seafood Guide on the following page, to help you make smart choices at the seafood counter.
Methylmercury, the type of mercury found in many fish, is a dangerous neurotoxin. Prolonged exposure to mercury can damage the brain and nervous system. However, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says the health benefits of eating seafood override the potential negative effects, as long as we consume it at the recommended levels.
To help protect the health of your family, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has a handy wallet guide about mercury contamination in fish (www.nrdc.org/health). Print it out and bring it with you the next time you shop for seafood.
For instant answers to all your seafood questions, use the FishPhone from the Blue Ocean Institute. FishPhone is a text-messaging service that puts sustainable seafood information at your fingertips. Just text 30644 with the message FISH and the name of the fish in question. You’ll get answers and recommendations back in no time.
Bring this handy copy-and-clip guide with you when you shop. It has great tips for buying the types of seafood most likely to make their way onto your dinner plate.
(Source: Monterey Bay Aquarium and Blue Ocean Institute)
Beverage marketers would have us believe we absolutely need to buy their products. And lots of them. The truth is, we don’t need much more than good old tap water to meet our hydration needs. And just think of all the bottles we could keep out of the landfill if we eliminated single-serving beverages from our lives!
Early on, our day-care provider told us “juice is a trap that parents fall into.” We didn’t really get it at first, but as our baby developed into a demanding toddler we realized that it was oh, so true! Before I knew it I was keeping juice boxes stocked in the refrigerator and pulling them out for much more than just road trips. It took a while, but I did eventually get out of the “juice trap.” My kids still enjoy juice, but I limit their servings—and juice boxes are a thing of the past!
Once you’ve taken care of the essentials, you’re still not in the clear. The interior of the grocery store is packed with aisle after aisle of boxed, bagged, canned, jarred, frozen and usually highly processed foods. Shop carefully to avoid excess packaging and unhealthy choices.
Stick to the perimeter of the grocery store as much as you can. Only venture inside with a set list and a strong resolve!
Take this guide with you to the grocery store to help decipher the many certifications and seals of approval found on food products.
| Name | What it means | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
USDA Organic |
Conforms to all USDA Organic standards. | • Fruits and vegetables • Dairy and eggs • Meat and poultry • Packaged goods • Coffee and tea • Most grocery stores and food co-ops |
| Certified Naturally Grown | Farms follow USDA Organic standards but have sales of less than $5,000 per year and therefore do not qualify for the USDA Organic seal. | • Fruits and vegetables • Grocery stores and food co-ops • Farmers' markets and CSAs |
Certified Humane |
Products are produced with the welfare of the farm animal in mind. Sponsored by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). | • Meat and poultry • Dairy and eggs • Grocery stores and food co-ops • Farmers' markets |
American Humane° Certified |
Guarantees that products are from animals raised and treated humanely. | • Meat and poultry • Dairy and eggs • Grocery stores and food co-ops |
Food Alliance |
Uses comprehensive standards and third-party inspections to evaluate entire farms, specific crops and food processors, packers, and distributors on sustainable agricultural and facility management practices. | • Fruits and vegetables • Dairy • Meat and poultry • Grocery stores and food co-ops • Farmers' markets |
Whole grain Courtesy Oldways and the Whole grain Council. www.wholegraincouncil.org |
Requires that the product contains at least eight grams of whole grain per serving. A 100 percent Whole Grain stamp requires that all the grain used is whole grain. | • Packaged foods like breads, cereals, crackers and pastas • Flours and baking mixes • Refrigerated and frozen entrees and snacks • Most grocery stores and food co-ops |
Demeter Certified Biodynamic® |
A holistic approach to farming with very stringent environmental guidelines. | • Fruits and vegetables • Grocery stores and food co-ops • Farmers’ markets and CSAs |
Marine Stewardship Council |
The world's leading certification program for sustainable and well-managed fisheries. | • Seafood: fresh, frozen, chilled, canned or smoked • Most grocery stores and food co-ops |
| Dolphin safe | Ensures that tuna is caught by methods that do not harm dolphins and protect the marine ecosystem. | • Canned tuna (fresh tuna is harvested in a way that does not harm dolphins) • Most grocery stores and food co-ops |
| Fair Trade Certified | Guarantees that strict economic, social and environmental criteria were met in the production and trade of the product. | • Coffee and tea • Chocolate • Sugar and honey • Rice • Vanilla • Fresh fruit • Most grocery stores and food co-ops |
