Gaia's Greens

Many of you know that in addition to having the greatest business ever, Gaia's Greens, that I am also a Yoga teacher.   I've started teaching at a new studio in Newnan/Sharpsburg, Ga. and we are having our Grand Opening Celebration this weekend - Saturday, August 28.  We are offering FREE yoga, meditation and Tai Chi classes all day long!   There will be great giveaways, music and more....   Be sure to check the website for class times and more details at www.ancientofdayscenter.com.

Doesn't it make you crazy with all of the different claims made on foods at the grocery store?!   "Natural", "Made with Organic Ingredients", 100% Certified Organic"... what do they all mean?   Here is the labeling lingo and what it means:

USDA Organic - If a food bears a USDA Organic label, it means it's produced and processed according to the USDA standards and that at least 95 percent of the food's ingredients are organically produced. Products that are completely organic — such as fruits, vegetables, eggs or other single-ingredient foods — are labeled 100 percent organic and can carry this seal.  Growers and handlers of organic produce are certified and tested on a regular basis to ensure they follow these strict standards.

Made with organic ingredients. These are products that contain at least 70 percent organic ingredients. The organic seal can't be used on these packages.  Foods containing less than 70 percent organic ingredients can't use the organic seal or the word "organic" on their product label. They can include the organic items in their ingredient list, however.

All-Natural - This is the most meaningless and confusing label of them all.  There are no regulations regarding foods labeled as "all-natural" except for meat and poultry, so basically a company can put that on most anything.   Though you would think that something labeled "all-natural" would indeed contain ingredients that are in fact natural, many contain processed and chemically created ingredients. For example,  I found High Fructose Corn Syrup which is derived chemically from corn starch in some "All-Natural" products, and HFCS is definitely something to avoid.   Even "all-natural" meats and poultry can contain hormones and antibiotics!!  The USDA requires "natural" meat and poultry to be free of artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, preservatives and ingredients, but it does not regulate how the sources of those foods were raised.   

Unless you see the USDA label, your best bet is to read the entire package and ingredient list to see what is in it!

Gaia's Greens fruits and vegetables are 100% Organic and do carry the USDA Organic label.   Almost all of our add-on products carry the USDA Organic certification as well. 

Check out this article from Jamie Kelley of The Organic Center:

New research shows that certain pesticide residues commonly found in conventional fruits and vegetables can disrupt developmental processes, increasing the odds that a person will struggle with weight gain, obesity and diabetes.

 One of every three U.S. children is overweight. If current obesity trends continue, by the year 2030, more than 85% of adults will be overweight!

 It turns out that a pregnant woman’s dietary exposure to pesticides can alter her infant’s development. One study found that pre-natal exposure to a fungicide increased the risk of the child becoming overweight by age six, compared to children who had not been exposed to the chemical.

See the full article here: http://theorganiccenter.wordpress.com/

This from the Organic Trade Association:
Organic is the most heavily regulated and closely monitored production system in the U.S., enabling you to choose organic products with confidence!   It takes a lot for a product to become certified organic. It has to be grown and processed without the use of toxic and synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, antibiotics, synthetic growth hormones, sewage sludge, and artificial colors and flavors. And the product can’t just claim to made without these substances; it has to prove it.

To claim organic certification, growers and handlers must follow a rigorous set of federal production and processing standards.  I invite you to visit the Organic Trade Association's website at http://www.organicitsworthit.org/learn/us-organic-standards to learn more about the standards and what you can expect when you see the Organic Certification label. 

All of our produce is 100% certified organic and most of our add on products are as well. 

I am often asked if "organic" produce is better than "local" produce or vice versa.  The answer is sometimes yes and sometimes no - it depends.   As a nutrition consultant, I've done a fair bit of research on this topic.  Based on my research, here is my order of preference:
1) Certified Organic Local
2) Certified Organic
3) Local - if I can talk with the farmer about growing conditions.

I always choose organics first regardless of where they come from because I can get a great variety of produce all year round and I'm sure there are no chemicals used on my food because of the Organic Certification.   Local organic produce is great when it's in season and in fact I grow as much of my own produce as possible.  However, there are just some things that I love that won't grow around here like avocados, mangos and pineapples.  And the truth is that opting for local only many times doesn't meet our nutritional needs or offer the variety we should be getting in our diets, especially during the winter months when there is very little grown locally.    And, it goes without saying (but I'll say it anyway) if the local produce in question is grown with chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides, then organic is definitely better!  When I'm buying local I always try to talk with the farmer about his/her growing methods so I know what's in the food. 

"What about the transportation impact on the environment for those products that come from far away?" you might ask.   Of course I also care about our environment, but the facts are that most of the impact of getting food from seed to your table comes from the fuel used during the farming process, not during transportation to market.  There's no doubt that organic produce from Mexico is more expensive to transport than organic produce from my home state, but when it comes to a choice between pesticide covered produce from Georgia versus organic from Mexico - I'm choosing organic every time!!  

Be sure to visit us at the Fresh South Market in Peachtree City on Saturdays!  The market is held from 8:00 - 1:00 and we'll have all the stuff that comes in our boxes for that week, plus herbs, and our other organic products.  Hope to see you there!

Find out more about the market at www.freshsouthmarket.org.