"Why Would You Settle for Less?"

With obesity as an epidemic in this country there is a health craze happening. Many are wanting to eat healthier. This is a valid cause, wanting to be healthier. Our society has created a whole market off those that want to be healthy. We have fancy brands of clothes to work out in and fancy organic food that holds the promise to achieving that goal of good health. But what does it mean to really be healthy? Many would answer eating right and exercise on the reg. I’m here to focus on the eating right part of that. I’m not a nutritionist but have taken several biology and chemistry classes. Our society has made tons of money off marketing “organic” and “natural” foods. What does it really mean to be organic?

“Simply stated, organic produce and other ingredients are grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, genetically modified organisms, or ionizing radiation. Animals that produce meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products do not take antibiotics or growth hormones.” (www.organic.org/home/faq)

But are they really? There is a gene in bacteria, the Bt gene, that releases a toxin that is poisonous to insects. That gene was taken from the bacteria and put in corn so that instead of spraying pesticides on the corn the corn creates its own. This is approved as an organic pesticide. Yet I thought corn was supposed to be GMO free?

So, what does it really mean to be natural?

“FDA has not developed a definition for

use of the term natural or its derivatives. However, the agency has not objected to the use of the term if the food does not contain added color, artificial flavors, or synthetic substances.” (http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/Transparency/Basics/ucm214868.htm)

In summary, natural is no added colors, flavors or preservatives. However, cyanide is a naturally occurring substance. Cyanide is found in bitter almonds. It takes .36g to kill a 160lb. person in 2-6 hours. This amount "occupies a smaller volume then the volume ofsalt that most people put on an order of French Fries."Is cyanide good because it is natural? Natural does not mean healthy or better.

This is not a rant to complain about companies and how they label their products. The purpose of this post is to show that natural or organic is not better. They are not really different from "regular" food. It is merely a marketing ploy that tricks consumers into spending extra money on products that claim to be better for you.