[Guest Post] Answers to Everything You've Been Wondering about Organic Food by Michelle Rebecca

Do you love food? I know I do! I love it so much that I consider it to be a personal passion. While I'm always game to try something new, I care a lot about what I put into my body.

Over the course of talking to others about my own research and learning, I've noticed that there's quite a bit of confusion surrounding organic food. While a lot of the people I've talked to are interested in this topic, they're frustrated by not being able to find straight answers to their questions. To help remedy this situation, I want to provide clear answers to the questions I hear the most:

What Does Organic Actually Mean?

There are two main factors that separate organic food from that produced by standard farming operations. The first applies to crops. Instead of using chemical fertilizers, insecticides and herbicides, organic farmers use sprays from natural sources. The second factor applies to chicken, beef and other meat. Standard farmers use antibiotics to maximize the growth of their animals. Organic farmers avoid those measures and feed their animals natural food sources.

How Do You Know if Something is Actually Organic?

If you walk through a grocery store, it may seem like just about everything is organic. But if the supposed widespread availability of the highest quality food strikes you as off, your intuition is correct.

Because more consumers now care about the quality of their food, many companies are trying to capitalize on the interest through misleading marketing. Although "natural" sounds great, it has absolutely no meaning on a food label.

 Unlike the term "organic," there are no restrictions around using the word “natural. As a result, the companies responsible for marketing food products can slap the term on just about everything. The same is true for phrases like “hormone-free,” “free-range” and “all natural.”

Can You Trust the Term "Organic" on Labels?

Yes. However, there are a few different ways it can be used. If an item has a USDA Organic seal, it's 95% or more organic. If a label says 100% organic, it means exactly that. But in order for a label to say "made with organic ingredients," the total item can be as low as 70% organic. The easiest way to find true organic foods is to keep an eye out for labels that have either of the first two designations.

What If You Don't Have Access to Organic Items?

Depending on where you live, getting access to the organic items you want may be a challenge. Whether it's the result of cost or because you can't find exactly what you want, there's always the option to grow your own. If that sounds like a lot to take on, start small. Instead of growing an entire garden full of different foods, start with just one. This will make it easier to learn, and to keep your total cost down.

One of the nice things about starting with just one item is you won't need tons of supplies. With just some basics like hydroponics organic, you'll be able to start growing your own organic crop!

Michelle is an aspiring writer with a passion for blogging. She enjoys writing about a vast variety of topics and loves that blogging gives her the opportunity to publicly voice her thoughts and share advice with an unlimited audience.