Today many of us are concerned with eating healthy - not only for ourselves but for the environment as well. Yet trying to decipher the labels and symbols on food packages is often confusing and overwhelming. What's the difference between free range and grassfed meat? How about food labeled Non-GMO versus Food Alliance certified?
Here's a great article from Mother Nature Network that decodes 17 eco-food labels with simple definitions and pictures of the symbol on the food label so you know what to look for.
Did you know:
- To be certified as organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), at least 95 percent of the ingredients must be organic - meaning no pesticides, fertilizers, hormones, antibiotics, radiation or genetic engineering was used.
- That the USDA defines the term "free range" only in relation to chicken, and even then, outdoor access can be limited to just five minutes a day. If you see this term on eggs or beef, it has little meaning.
- That the term "bird friendly" on coffee beans ensures that they are 100 percent organic and shade-grown under a rain forest canopy — an important sanctuary for migratory birds.
Check out the full article for a complete visual guide to green food labeling.
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