Gorganic!

Gorganic! Sounds like a creature Godzilla would fight or maybe a cyborg from the future sent to this time to check the pH levels of the soil. It is actually a portmanteau, a new word formed from two or more other words; in this case the words are Go & Organic. It is a simple mantra that more and more people are discovering every day, that going organic has myriad healthful benefits that contribute to the overall quality of life. This is why at Clark’s Nutrition & Natural Foods Market the emphasis is always on bringing the highest quality and freshest organic selections available. The term organic has a very specific definition. To use the USDA Organic Label, a product must follow the following criteria. 1. 100% Organic - Food is completely organic by itself or all ingredients used are organic 2. Organic - Food is 95% organic as are the ingredients 3. Made with organic ingredients - Food contains a minimum of 70% organic ingredients (while this product will not carry the USDA seal, organic ingredients may be listed on front of package) 4. Contains organic ingredients - Food contains less than 70% organic ingredients (No seal) At Clark's Nutrition we normally carry at least 75% of our produce as organic. Joe Kemp, who has been working for Clark's for 15 years as produce manager and has been in the produce industry for over 45 years, said “We typically order upwards of 95% organic and then fill in with local first and then conventional when we need to, our goal is to carry 100% organic all the time.” During the different seasons the percentage for organic may go up but never below the 75% mark. This same philosophy goes for our organic grass-fed beef, dairy, and all other items we carry; namely, go organic first! In the produce section, a good way to know you are getting organic fruits and vegetables is to look at the PLU (price look up) code. A conventionally grown item will have a 4-digit code so look for a code like this; 4055. An organic item will have a 5-digit code and start with the number nine; 94055. A genetically modified item such as a GMO banana will be a 5-digit number and start with the number eight; 84055. Don’t look too hard for the 5-digit produce codes that start with an 8, Clark's never uses these selections. Is organic worth the extra money? A recent $25 million dollar 4-year study looked at the health benefits of organic produce over conventional and found that organic produce may contain up to 40 percent more antioxidants and higher levels of important minerals like iron and zinc. While some studies have shown very little difference in total vitamin count between organic and conventional, they all tend to agree on two major findings. 1. Organic produce does not carry the synthetic pesticides that can have damaging effects to the immuno-compromised, the elderly, or pregnant mothers and babies. 2. Organic produce has lower levels of nitrogen by-products which can tax the immune and intestinal systems. These findings are important as they demonstrate a benefit to spending extra on one’s nutrition. One last caveat, beware of eating too many processed organic foods such as ice cream, chips, crackers, and cookies. Although an organic treat will be better for you, emphasizing organic snack and comfort foods will be no guarantee you will be able to avoid too much salt, fat, processed carbohydrates, or weight gain. Remember, for better health-Gorganic! Study reference: Four-year European Union study of organic foods, www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/health/article2753446.ece.