Organic Foods in Pregnancy

The terms organic and natural are sometimes placed on food packaging. Whether these foods are actually better for you than their shelf-mates is still a matter of debate. The US Food and Drug Administration has set standard definitions for what is in a product that bears these names.

Organic

Foods are allowed to be called USDA Organic when at least 95% of the ingredients are free from chemical fertilizers or pesticides, genetic engineering, sludge, antibiotics or irradiation in their production. A product can still be labeled “made with organic ingredients” if only 70% of the ingredients meet these standards. Organic livestock must be allowed to graze outdoors, feed organic food, and must not be exposed to large amounts of antibiotics or growth hormones.

Natural

For a food to be labeled as natural, it must be free from food colors, artificial flavors and any other synthetic substances.

Should I eat organic?

Families have different reasons for choosing to eat organic or not. A main concern about organic food is that it is more expensive to purchase. Other families feel that since the food cannot be guaranteed to be completely free of chemicals it is not worth the extra money. Some scientists feel it is unfair to recommend families absorb the higher cost of organic foods when there is a lack of human studies on the health differences of eating organic.

Families that choose to buy organic may do so because they prefer the flavor or to avoid as many chemicals as possible. Other families choose organic because they feel it is a more responsible way to farm and provides a healthier food product. Some scientist feel it is unfair to encourage families to consume chemicals when it has not been proved that they provide the same health benefits as naturally grown foods.

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