According to recent Gallup Polls, obesity in the United States is at 25.8 percent. In light of such a striking problem, eating healthy is a rising concern for many shoppers.
The buzzwords are endless – eat locally, green, hormone-free, free-range, grass-fed, additive-free, all natural, organic, GMO-free or fair trade. Eating healthy can seem like a chore at times. Figuring out what some of these new trends really mean can be difficult. Reading labels on conventional food is tiring, especially when the majority of the ingredients sound like tongue twisters.
Eating ethically is becoming very important as well, with nonprofit groups like Fair Trade rocketing into the social and political spectrum. The group’s market-based approach brings products like sugar, cocoa and coffee from developing countries with ethical stipulations structuring the commerce. The group controls certain aspects of production, ensuring floor prices, fair working conditions and reasonable pay.
When you’re shopping in the store and you begin to see an overwhelming amount of new slang, don’t fret. Most of the terms are simple enough to understand, it’s just a matter of familiarizing yourself with them.
Fair Trade labels are just that – labels denoting fair trade and certification through the non-profit group.
Advertising organic food that’s USDA certified means that the farmers and producers have adhered to a lengthy list of rules and regulations. This list assures the high quality of the living conditions of the animals, the food they’re being fed, the means of production of the enterprise, and the fertility of the soil being used, among other things.
The USDA’s definition of the word “natural” is vague in comparison. Only meat and poultry can be certified as natural. In order to be certified, the meat must be “minimally processed with no artificial ingredients.” In produce and grocery products, it is up to the discrepancy of the manufacturer to decide how they will label their product. If you’re looking to avoid pesticides or other chemically based treatments, natural or all natural labels don’t offer much insurance.
A growing concern among shoppers is the acronym “GMO.” GMO stands for genetically modified organism, and refers to produce or meat that has been treated or modified genetically. Growth hormones and genetic work done on food products has been heavily criticized in the United States. Much of the unrest is due to insufficient advertising of GMOs. For years, genetically modified tomatoes, papayas and soybeans were sold as though they were traditionally farmed.
There is growing concern over the long-term effects of eating GMOs. The effects are subtle and difficult to trace, as the GMOs themselves are so young. Currently, GMOs account for the vast majority of produce in the United States.
After becoming familiar with the terminology surrounding healthy eating options, finding a place to shop is a breeze. Madison has a wide variety of grocery stores that specialize in organic, fresh and whole foods.
Fresh Market, on University Avenue, lives up to its title and provides a wide array of fresh produce at a fair price. Jeff Maurer, the owner, was inspired by his daughter’s struggle to find fresh food while they were in school.
“The biggest difference,” Maurer said, “between baby boomers like myself and your generation is access to information. Students at the university today are shopping with their smart phones. They’re well informed and care about staying healthy.”
Maurer has extremely high standards for the quality of his produce, and has worked with the same food distributor for 15 years. Maurer explains that they’ve worked hard to keep prices affordable.
If Fresh Market feels too conventional, the Willy Street Cooperative is a market-style opportunity to buy organic and locally grown foods. The co-op has an interesting history. A group of people looking to buy organic, local food in bulk came together and began collectively shopping. When the distributor moved to the other side of the city, the group decided to incorporate and grow. Although the prices tend to be higher than those of a conventional grocery store, the co-op provides incredibly ethical food, and many unconventional items that may be difficult to find elsewhere.
A nice hybrid between the conventional grocery store and a small-scale co-op, Trader Joe’s, offers a variety of organic, ethical and GMO-free food. For the most part, the store stocks their own brand, keeping costs low. The food is both high quality and affordable, although the selection is at times limited.
Even big-box stores are embracing organic and healthy food alternatives. Walmart stocks a surprising amount of organic food. Hundreds of products are available including organic milk, eggs and produce, all at the familiar low Walmart prices.
Whatever your grocery shopping preferences are – organically, ethically or locally produced – Madison has a wide array of options for affordable, healthy eating. Wherever you choose to shop, just keep in mind that you are in control, and every dollar you spend is a vote supporting that type of food. Don’t be afraid to look at labels. The amount of information out there is truly overwhelming, but once you understand key terms, the rest falls into place pretty smoothly.