Organic vs.

Natural Foods –
What’s the Difference?

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religion, gender, age, disability, marital or veteran status, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative
Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
 Natural
Foods

Whole
What’s the Organic
Foods Difference? Foods

Health Foods
 What’s the Difference?
Organic Foods Produced in ways that promote soil and
water conservation and use of renewable
resources. Regulated by the federal
government.
Natural Foods Minimally processed foods that do not
contain synthetic ingredients. Not
regulated.
Whole Foods Similar to natural foods.
Health Foods Similar to natural foods.
National Organic Program
• Regulates how organic foods are
grown and handled
• Farming practices must:
– Maintain and enhance soil fertility
– Prevent soil erosion
– Minimize risk to human and
animal health and natural
resources
 Organic Food Production
Conventional Organic
Chemical fertilizers Manure or compost
Insecticides Beneficial insects and birds;
traps
Herbicides Crop rotation, tilling, hand
weeding, mulching
Antibiotics, growth hormones, Organic feeds, rotational
and medications grazing, outdoor access
Food Retailers
Retailers cannot:
• Knowingly sell product labeled
organic unless it meets NOP
requirements.
• Allow unpackaged organic
products to contact
conventional ones.
• Permit organic products to
contact prohibited substances.
Organic Food Labels
• 100% Organic: contains only
organic ingredients
• Organic: at least 95% organic
ingredients
• Made with Organic Ingredients: 70-
95% organic ingredients
• Products with less than 70%
organic ingredients cannot be
labeled organic.
Organic Food Trends
• Organic food sector accounts
for 5% of total US food sales.
• Organic food sales are
projected to grow at a rate of
18% annually.
• Organic foods are sold in 80%
of market retailers.
eXtension. What is Organic Farming? Accessed May 2010 at http:
//www.extension.org.
Organic Food Shoppers
• Ages 18-27 = 51%
• Ages 28-41 = 55%
• Ages 42-51 = 57%
• Ages 52-60 = 50%
• Ages 61+ = 46%
Source: Food Marketing Institute. Natural and Organic Foods,
FMI Backgrounder, June 2007.
 Benefits of Organic Foods
• Organic farming practices reduce pollution and
conserve water and soil.
• Organic foods and conventional foods are similar in
quality.
• Organic foods are as safe and nutritious as
conventionally grown foods.

Source: Mayo Clinic Staff. Organic foods: Are they safer? More nutritious? Accessed from www.mayoclinic.com, Feb. 2010.
 What are Natural Foods?
• No legal definition.
• Minimally processed foods without synthetic
ingredients.
• Meat and poultry free of synthetic ingredients and
processed in a way that does not fundamentally
change them.
• Whole grains, containing bran, germ and
endosperm.
Source: Institute of Food Technologists. Is There a Definition for Natural Foods? Accessed www.ift.org, February
2010.
Natural Food Ingredients
Turbinado Sugar
Raw sugar from first pressing of cane sugar
Contains some molasses

Stevia
Herb and extract forms
Generally recognized as safe
Recommended to use in moderate amounts

Sea Salt
Made from evaporating sea water
Composed of sodium and chloride
Contains trace minerals and elements
Honey
• Major sweetener until sugar
cane in the 19th century.
• Color and flavor depend on the
flowers from which bees gather
nectar.
• Consists of simple sugars.
• Store in a warm, dry place.
Whole Grains
Brown Rice
Germ and bran are intact
Brown, black, purple, or red in color
Higher in fiber than white rice, gluten-free
Barley
Cereal grain
Chewy texture and nutty flavor
Fiber helps lower cholesterol

Bulgar (cracked wheat)

Triticale
Hybrid of durum wheat and rye
Ideal for organic farming
High in protein

Flaxseed (linseed)
Seed of the flax plant
Contains Omega-3 fatty acids
Fiber helps reduce cholesterol
What is Gluten?
• Gluten is an elastic substance
formed from proteins when
kneading some flours.
• Gluten damages the lining of the
small intestine in people with
celiac disease.
• Celiac disease is an autoimmune
disease.
Gluten-free Whole Grains
Amaranth
Kernels from a bushy, green-colored plant
Peppery taste
High in protein, has all essential amino acids

Millet
Grass
White, gray, yellow, or red
Mild, sweet, nutty flavor

Quinoa (keen-wah)
Relative of swiss chard and beets
Cooks quickly and has mild flavor
High in protein, has all essential amino acids
Benefits of Natural Foods
• An alternative for people
allergic to additives and
preservatives.
• Whole and unrefined foods,
contain fiber and
phytochemicals that help
protect against chronic
diseases.
 Natural
Foods

Whole
What’s the Organic
Foods Difference? Foods

Health Foods
 What Did You Learn?
1. Organic foods are safer and more
nutritious than conventionally grown
foods?
• True
• False
 What Did You Learn?
2. Natural foods may be healthy
alternatives for people who are allergic
to food preservatives?
• True
• False
 What Did You Learn?
3. Sea salt does not contain sodium like
table salt.
• True
• False
 What Did You Learn?
4. Gluten damages the small intestine of
people with celiac disease.
• True
• False
 What Did You Learn?
5. The fiber in barley and oats helps lower
blood cholesterol.
• True
• False
 Questions

The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race,
color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, marital or veteran status, or any other legally
protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.