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Why Go Organic

Buying organic food is the only way to reduce the chemicals your baby is exposed to. Choose:

Organic fruits and vegetables are produced with little or no pesticides. There are hundreds of pesticides used in farming simply to reach higher results on a cheaper budget. These can leave a residue on the skin of vegetables and fruit, meaning you have to either peel or vigorously scrub them before cooking or eating. Some fruits and vegetables have even been found to contain chemical traces: in oranges, pears and grapes this is very common. There is a higher risk of chemical residue in non-organic root vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, beetroots, sprouts and salad products, so try at least to switch to their organic versions.

Organic dried fruits have no additives or preservatives such as sulphate dioxide, which may develop allergies and asthma later in life. Foods prepared for sale on a large scale often have sweeteners or colouring agents in them, just to make them a little more palatable or to look nicer or to last longer. If you look hard at a label, you would be amazed how even something as simple as a can of peas or lentils has sugar in it, even though it really just need to be packaged in water.

Better nutrition. Organic apples, for example contain higher levels of vitamins like A and C, and other valuable minerals, than the non-organic version. Organic whole milk, which has been proven to be more nutritious and contains higher levels of vitamins and minerals, such as Vitamin E and calcium.

Organic animal products are free from hormones and antibiotics. The health of a chicken can directly affect the quality in nutritional terms, of her eggs, so try to go for organic meat and organic free range eggs too.

Requirements for labelling a food as “organic” published by the Food Standard Agency

All food sold as 'organic' must be produced according to European laws on organic production.

These laws require food sold as 'organic' to come from growers, processors and importers who are registered and approved by organic certification bodies, which are in turn registered by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) or a similar control body elsewhere in the European Union.

Organic certification bodies must appoint inspectors who are, for example, expected to visit farms and check that no fertilisers or pesticides have been used that are not approved for organic production, and that land has been farmed organically for the conversion period (normally two years) before food is sold as 'organic'.

Labels on food sold as 'organic' must indicate the organic certification body that the processor or packer is registered with. The labels must, at the minimum, include a code number that denotes the approved inspection body. The name or trademark (logo) of the certification body may also, but does not have to be shown on the label.

It is not always possible to make products entirely from organic ingredients, since not all ingredients are available in organic form. Manufacturers of organic food are permitted to use specific non-organic ingredients provided that organic ingredients make up at least 95% of the food.

If the product contains between 70% and 95% organic ingredients, organic ingredients can be mentioned only in the ingredients list, and a clear statement must be given on the front of the label showing the total percentage of the ingredients that are organic.

Foods labelled "organic" can be either:

100% organic: They're completely organic or made of all organic ingredients.
Organic: They're at least 95% organic.
"Made with organic ingredients" on a label means the food contains at least 70% organic ingredients, but can't have the "organic" seal on its packaging.

When buying dried fruits it is crucial to get organic ones, as they will not contain any preservatives. The usual preservatives used in non-organic dried fruits are either potassium sorbate or sulphur dioxide. Sulphur dioxide is an allergen and it is believed that some children exposed to is, may develop asthma. It is associated with increased respiratory symptoms and disease, difficulty in breathing, and premature death.

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