What Is Left Off the Label

What is left off traditional food labels is more dangerous than what is on it

Pittsford, NY – The next time you go into your traditional local grocery store, pick up an item and take a look at the ingredients.

Can you pronounce any of ingredients on the label?

Do you know what they are?

Chances are you answered 'no' to both of the these questions. Unless you’re a chemist or nutritionist, you don't stand a chance in finding out what is in our food, at least the traditional variety. Our medical physicians and nurse practitioners even have a tough time figuring out what is in our food.

The product you are holding is most likely loaded with ingredients that are just plain bad for you - artificial flavors, artificial preservatives and dyes. These are conveniently listed on the label along with the main ingredients that make up the product. But the most troubling ingredients are the ones that they left off the label! I’m referring to the types of hormones, synthetic pesticides, synthetic fertilizers and other dangerous ingredients used to produce the product.
Why would they intentionally leave ingredients off the label?

For good financial reasons, the companies that sell these products and the Food and Drug Administration which regulates the information that is put on our labels, do not think it is important enough to let us know what danger lurks in our foods. The things that are left off the label are a lot more troublesome than the artificial ingredients which are included on them. Just how dangerous are these ingredients? Please, see below for a taste.

> The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Academy of Sciences, Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have all come out with studies telling us how toxic chemicals, hormones and pesticides are to us but are even much worse for children. A few of the many alarming statements/reports from these agencies will give you a flavor of what is left off our labels.

> According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, organophosphate pesticides (OP) are now found in the blood of 95% of Americans tested. OP levels are twice as high in blood samples taken from children than in adults. Exposure to OPs is linked to hyperactivity, behavior disorders, learning disabilities, developmental delays and motor dysfunction. OPs account for half of the insecticides used in the U.S.

> Health problems in our children such as early menstruation, asthma, hyperactivity, behavior disorders, and obesity are traced back to chemicals such as DDE, PCBs, Bisphenol A, and phthalates, which mimic sex hormones, hormones in meat and dairy products

> Early Sexual Development in children are linked to hair products containing estrogen or placenta, insecticides, growth hormones in meat and milk, estrogen-like substances in dental sealants used on children, and the plastic wrap used on sandwiches for kids' lunches.

> According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Academy of Sciences, standard chemicals are up to ten times more toxic to children than to adults, depending on body weight;

> According to the Food and Drug Administration, half of produce currently tested in grocery stores contains measurable residues of pesticides. Laboratory tests of eight industry-leader baby foods reveal the presence of 16 pesticides, including three carcinogens.

> Currently, over 400 chemicals can be regularly used in conventional farming as biocides to kill weeds and insects. For example, apples can be sprayed up to 16 times with 36 different pesticides. None of these chemicals are present in organic foods.

As noted above, our children’s health problems are alarming and widespread. Traditional foods and traditional personal products are the major culprits. Adults have their own set of health problems caused by these toxins which is beyond the scope of this article.

If you are a concerned parent trying to do everything to raise a healthy child, the answer may not be at your traditional grocery store or local restaurant. Your answer may be in buying and consuming the purest foods and beverages on the planet – organic foods. Organic foods are free of artificial ingredients, artificial preservatives, dyes and the toxins left off the traditional food label such as hormones, synthetic pesticides, and synthetic fertilizers.
Education is bliss.

There are many free resources available on the Internet, such as www.OrganicConsumers.org, that will introduce you to organics. Your local library is loaded with books on organic and natural foods and other environmental friendly behavior. These are both great resources and will help you in your journey to the finding the answer for your family.

Another great resource is just around the corner at your natural & organic market. You know that store that you have always thought about checking out, but never have. Natural & organic markets not only have a wealth of information at their fingertips through educational materials, classes and on-site professionals, but they have already done the research for you. The products in their stores are the purest and best tasting products on the market today. Because they are not the mainstream, natural & organic markets tend to offer better customer service and are more knowledgeable about the products they sell than traditional stores.

There are several natural & organic markets in the Rochester, NY area including Organic Alley, which recently opened in the Village of Pittsford. Organic Alley has concentrated on making it easy for children and parents to learn about organics and a healthy lifestyle. They recently had Author, Lee Welles, in their market to read and sign her new children’s book ‘Gaia Girls – Enter the Earth’. The book is about a young girl who finds out that she has super powers and sets out to help save her parents’ organic farm. She realizes that she is also the key to saving Mother Earth. The book introduces the principles of organics and environmentally friendly behavior.
"We are educating our children and parents through events such as book readings, educational classes, community outreach and yoga" states Organic Alley co-founder Doug Miller, "by offering products and services that won’t harm our children and ourselves, we know we are making a difference in our world."

Converting to organics is not a cheap proposition since most organic foods are 20 – 30% more expensive than traditional foods. If you are on a budget and can’t switch to 100% organic, than adding some organic products to your diet will make a difference, especially in children. Miller suggests starting with dairy products and certain types of fruits and vegetables – i.e. grapes, apples & lettuce. Making the transition to organic may require discipline, yet in the end, you know you will have given your children and Mother Earth the best chance at health and well-being.

Buying organic will almost guarantee that nothing will have been left on the label.

written by: Doug Miller, co-founder of Organic Alley, Inc. Copyright 2006, 2007