Natural or Organic?

Ever since Jenn has proclaimed her goal to attend the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts in New York City, we have had to do some explaining. People want to know what she will learn and what she will do with the education she receives. The answers are she will learn about organic, natural and health supportive foods, and she will take that knowledge and open up a restaurant in her hometown. Eventually she intends to teach classes about health supportive eating. Then people usually ask us to explain the difference between organic, natural, and conventional foods. I am always amazed because I thought it was something people knew about. Come to find out it is not and it seems most people take their food for granted. That is why Jenn wants to go to the school. She wants to help educate her family, friends and the people of her community about healthy eating.

There are many misconceptions out there about organic and natural food. For example, we’ve had several people mention Ingredient as being a new organic restaurant that will be opening in Manhattan soon. This is misinforming and unfortunate. According to their website, Ingredient uses “fresh” ingredients and has some gluten-free choices on their menu. Nowhere does it mention that they serve, or will be serving organic food. The restaurant looks like it will be a very good place to eat and I am excited to try it, but somehow word of mouth has labeled it organic which has rubbed some folks the wrong way.

Why is it a big deal? Organic food is cultivated much differently than conventional food. For example, look at these differences I obtained from the Mayo Clinic’s website:

Conventional farmers
* Apply chemical fertilizers to promote plant growth.
* Spray insecticides to reduce pests and disease.
* Use chemical herbicides to manage weeds.
* Give animals antibiotics, growth hormones and medications to prevent disease and spur growth.

Organic farmers
* Apply natural fertilizers, such as manure or compost, to feed soil and plants.
* Use beneficial insects and birds, mating disruption or traps to reduce pests and disease.
* Rotate crops, till, hand weed or mulch to manage weeds.
* Give animals organic feed and allow them access to the outdoors. Use preventive measures — such as rotational grazing, a balanced diet and clean housing — to help minimize disease.


Imagine if you have done well to keep chemicals out of your diet and went to a restaurant claiming to be organic, yet they were not. In order to use the USDA approved organic seal, a food must be 95% organic or more. This applies to packaged foods, whereas fruit, eggs, meat, etc are 100% organic because they only have one ingredient, so they automatically are able to use the seal if they cultivate their food using the methods described above.

By the same token, foods that are labeled natural are not the same as organic. Natural foods are supposed to be foods that don’t have additives or preservatives, which is the stuff that allows food to sit for long periods of time on our grocery store shelves. Unfortunately there are no regulations on this, so many manufacturers use the word natural on their packaging because they can. The only way to know is to check the ingredients. If there is a load of stuff you can’t pronounce, chances are its very processed and far from natural.

It’s no secret that our food supply has been hijacked by chemicals and Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s) in the name of profit. However, it is not my job to tell you how to eat, nor what to eat. But if you are interested in learning more, there are plenty of websites and books out there where authors and chefs have done tons of research to present their case for healthier foods. There are also plenty that will say there is nothing wrong with our food supply. Don’t be so quick to believe them. Those websites are generally funded by the food companies that produce the overly processed foods.

Another great place to become educated is at the grocery store. Look at the labels of foods that claim to be organic or natural and compare the ingredients to their conventional counterparts. Your health is an asset and too many people take it for granted. Prevention starts with a healthy diet. And this is coming from the guy who visited Taco Bell three times a week through college. It’s never too late to take control of your health.