As more knowledge increases, we see more organic foods available. This is shown as more organics are found in the mainstream markets.

"Half of organic foods sold in the U.S. are now sold by chain groceries," said Mark Kastel, co-founder and co-director of the Cornucopia Institute, in Cornucopia, Wis., a think tank and progressive farm-policy research group. "That shift has been happening the last few years."

This may sound like great news but it comes with a cost. I am not speaking of the cost in the pocket book.

Costs of organic products are 25 percent to 100 percent higher than non-organic, said Ronnie Cummins, national director of the Organic Consumers Association in Finland, Minn. Typically, he said, "people are willing to pay the extra costs."

I am speaking of the hit we will get in the quality of the choice organic foods.

“Organic foods advocates say it's getting tougher to choose the best organic offerings. They say some companies are cutting corners in the interest of boosting profits, and that consumers must educate themselves on how to read labels or do research on which companies are producing the best products.”

We see the labels on the foods, but what should we look at regarding Organic?

“Knowing how to read a label can also help you pick the best organic offerings, experts say. If meat, poultry, eggs or dairy products are labeled organic, they must come from animals given no antibiotics or growth hormones, according to the USDA, which regulates organic standards. And organic produce is grown without using "most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation," according to the USDA.”

If a label says "certified organic," that means the product has been grown and processed according to the USDA national standards and then certified by one of the USDA-accredited certification organizations.

We as consumers should also be aware that many companies are importing foods from outside the United States to cut costs, Fantle said. He believes domestically-grown product is better.

"Consumers need to look [at the label]," he (Fantle) said, "to see if the food is coming from foreign sources." If that information is not on the label, he said, "develop some sort of comfort level or relationship with the grocery story providing the foods. Ask, 'Where is this coming from?' "

Remember, Natural does not always mean Organic!

SOURCES: Ronnie Cummins, spokesman, Organic Consumers Association, Finland, Minn.; Will Fantle, research director, Cornucopia Institute, Cornucopia, Wis; Mark Kastel, co-director and co-founder, Cornucopia Institute, Cornucopia, Wis.

Written by Matt Cole

http://getridoftoxins.com