1. Organic food has become very popular. But
navigating the maze (бродить
по лабиринту) of
organic food labels, benefits, and claims can be confusing. Is organic food
really healthier? Do GMOs and pesticides cause cancer and other diseases?
2. Organic foods provide a variety of benefits. Some
studies show that organic foods have more beneficial nutrients, such as
antioxidants, than their conventionally grown counterparts (копия). In addition, people with allergies to foods,
chemicals, or preservatives (предохраняющие средства) often find their symptoms lessen or go away when
they eat only organic foods. Instead of synthetic pesticides or fertilizers,
organic farmers rely on biological diversity in the field to naturally reduce
habitat for pest organisms.
3. The ongoing debate about the effects of GMOs on
health and the environment and whether GM food should be labeled is a
controversial one. In most cases, GMOs are engineered to make food crops
resistant to herbicides (weedkillers) and/or to produce an insecticide. The
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the biotech companies that engineer
GMOs insist they are safe, but many food safety advocates point out that these
products have undergone only short-term testing to determine their effects on
humans and the environment, no long term studies have ever been conducted to
confirm the safety of GMO use. Some animal studies have indicated that
consuming GMOs may cause internal organ damage, slowed brain growth, and
thickening of the digestive tract.
4.Understanding the terminology is essential when you’re shopping for
organic foods. "Natural" on packaged food is an unregulated term that
can be applied by anyone, whereas organic certification means that set production
standards have been met. When you’re shopping for organic foods in the U.S.,
look for the “USDA Organic” seal. Only foods that are 95 to 100 percent organic
(and GMO-free) can use the USDA Organic label.
What do the food labels such as “organic,” "natural," "free-range," and "non-GMO" really mean?
What do the food labels such as “organic,” "natural," "free-range," and "non-GMO" really mean?
