Having grown along with the natural products industry, I have witnessed its improvements and “disapprovements”. This is an industry founded on good faith, and I like to spend time researching companies that make natural products while upholding that good faith.
One source that I turn to for current, reliable information is the Organic Consumers Association, in which I am a member. They are not to be confused with the Organic Trade Association, as the first is for the people and the latter is for the trade. The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) web site is www.organicconsumers.org Every two weeks they publish an online newsletter called “Organic Bytes”. They also periodically publish a chart in the form of a family tree called the “Organic Industry Structure”. It’s a visual tool for tracking which natural products companies maintain full ownership and which ones have been sold or have strategic alliances with large corporations. The OCA web site is the perfect place to begin your quest for solid information about organics and naturals.
Through my company web site, Natural Neighborhood (www.naturalneighborhood.com), I share my preferences about products that I believe to have the most “sense appeal” and optimally contribute to your health. I only showcase products that I personally use and favor, and many of them can be purchased through my Online Catalogue.
If I’m not making a meal from scratch, I choose packaged foods that are primarily Certified Organic, don’t contain refined sugars or artificial flavors and contain no genetically modified (also known as genetically engineered) ingredients or trans fats, like partially hydrogenated oils. Soy, canola and corn are three of the most widely used genetically modified crops, so I avoid non-organic versions of those products. Some believe that even when these crops are grown organically, that cross contamination occurs, and therefore, are not assured to be organic. My main sources of cooking oils are grapeseed, olive and coconut
Although there is always new information available about the health properties of foods, over time, you will get to know which foods are generally considered to be healthy. I have found that nutrition is not just about the foods I prepare in my kitchen, but the addition of life-supporting supplements and superfoods, compatible fitness and holistic health care.