Where's the beef and which beef should I buy?

Photo courtesy of Petr Kratochvil

Confused in the meat department in your local grocery store? I sure am. Between claims of "all natural," "hormone free," "organic," etc., it is hard to know what to fork over more money for and what is simply an empty claim. So here are a few tips to help you sort through it all:

Let's start with chicken. Did you know that growth hormones are not allowed in any poultry? So higher ticketed chicken boasting a "hormone free" label aren't worth the extra cash. It's all hormone free! At least, by law, it is supposed to be. But if you buy food that is not being regulated, who knows?

So what about the difference between organic and free-range? Well, here there is a difference. Free-range chicken are covered under absolutely no standards or regulations. What does this mean? While free-range chickens might cluck a bit happier tunes than their penned cousins, they also may be full of antibiotics and non-organic pesticide-ridden feed. Bottom line: organic is the safer choice for you and your family.

If you are not only concerned about the safety of the food, but are also thinking about the welfare of the animals, look for the "Certified Humane Raised & Handled" label. Poultry, meat, eggs and dairy products bearing this label have had access to plenty of clean food and water, have been protected from harsh weather, lived in a safe place with plenty of room to move around in. These standards were put in place by the ASPCA and the Humane Society of the U.S. Of course, if you are a vegetarian or vegan, you are probably ready to jump on me for promoting the eating of these farmyard pets altogether, but I am just relaying some info, so save your breath...it is not my intention to offend anyone, just to educate those who choose to eat meat (of which I am one of them).

This last bit reminds me of the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which contains one of my favorite lines from a film. Remember when the main character brings her boyfriend home to meet the family and her aunt finds out he is a vegetarian? She loudly states, "You don't eat no meat? You don't eat no meat? ... Well, that's okay. I'll make lamb." Love it!!

Wow. I don't know what that had to do with anything, so let me get back on track. As far as being a more environmentally-conscious person goes -- the less meat you eat, the better. If you simply cut your consumption of meat in half, the amount of greenhouse gases you could save yearly equals 1.4 tons! So it is a greener choice.

But let's continue looking at meat and what's worth paying more for. I was at Right by Nature on Friday night and had a tasting of their grass-fed beef. Oh my...let me tell you -- there is a difference. It may be costly, but oh, is it worth it! If you only enjoy steak occasionally, you might want to spring for grass-fed beef. However, like free-range poultry, there are no standards by which a beef farmer has to adhere to when claims of "grass-fed" are made. Basically, though, it simply means the animals dined in the pasture instead of in a stall with a trough full of processed feed.

If not grass-fed, then at least pick up some organic beef, especially if you are feeding it to your little ones. The U.S Department of Agriculture has standards that organic livestock ranchers must abide by. Here's the list:

• Antibiotic- and hormone-free
• Humane treatment
• Natural preventive health practices to prevent diseases
• Natural processing methods -- this is a good one to pay attention to. It means that while processing the meat, there are no artificial preservatives, harmful additives or synthetic chemicals. None.
• Organic feed -- 100% certified organic feed or toxic-free grass with no pesticides or fertilizers that are harmful to the earth.
• Zero animal by-products -- mad cow disease was the result of the cows being fed parts of other animals. This is not permitted in meat that is certified organic.

What about claims of being "natural?" That simply means there was little processing and no additives or preservatives were used. However, once again you have to realize there are no standards for qualification, so there most certainly could be antibiotics and hormones thrown into the mix. Look for third-party verification. Unless you can find it, you might want to ignore the "natural" branding.

Want to find out where to buy organic meat and dairy products that are free of hormones and antibiotics? Check out LocalHarvest.org.

Keeping it green and healthy,

Hana

What does that mean? Making sense of symbols

More and more symbols are popping up on product labels these days. If you’re like me, they can be quite confusing. For instance, what does Rainforest Alliance Certified or Fair Trade Certified mean?

Here’s a list of five of the symbols you may come across and what they represent. If you have additional ones you would like to share, please do so in the comments section on this page. Keep in mind this is only a brief overview.

Certified Humane Raised & Handled

This is the only labeling program in the U.S. dedicated to the welfare of farm animals from birth through slaughter.

• Animals are fed a diet without antibiotics
• No growth hormones are given to the animals

Green Seal

There are strict guidelines that must be followed before a product is awarded a Green Seal and it is based on the reduced impact on the environment and on health issues. Bearing the symbol also means a product will perform as well or better than others in the same category.

• Household Cleaners cannot contain any toxic components such as carcinogens, reproductive toxins or mutagens. The product is not toxic to aquatic life and is biodegradable. The packaging contains post-consumer content and either uses bags or pouches to reduce packaging or is recyclable.
• Kitchen Paper Products and Paper are produced without the addition of chlorine and contain at least 30% post consumer fiber.
• Paints must adhere to strict VOC (volatile organic compound) limits in order to reduce indoor and outdoor pollutants. They are also free of 25 toxic chemicals that are prohibited, such as benzene, phthalates, formaldehyde and heavy metals, including lead.
• Windows and Doors are energy efficient with minimal air leakage. They are manufactured with no heavy metals, such as lead, mercury or arsenic and the packaging has to contain at least 25% post-consumer materials.
• Hotels that bear the Green Seal are certified based on their minimizing waste and use of hazardous substances. They also have policies to purchase green products whenever possible.

For a list of hotels and products that are Green Seal certified, visit their website at http://www.greenseal.org/.

Fair Trade Certified

• Food is grown on small farms
• Disadvantaged farmers receive a guaranteed price for their products

According to Wikipedia, Fair Trade is an “organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as social and environmental standards in areas related to the production of a wide variety of goods.”

Rainforest Alliance Certified

In order to receive the Rainforest Alliance Certification, there are 10 principles that serve as categories for 90 standards that must be met. These standards are enforced by the SAN (Sustainable Agriculture Network) and include:

• Protection of wildlife
• Ecosystem conservation
• Workers must receive fair treatment and good working conditions

A minimum score of 50% in each of the 90 standards is required for certification, as well as an 80% overall score. Companies harvesting the food must practice conservation of soil and water and reduce the use of pesticides.

Products that may contain the symbol displaying a green frog inside of a circle include:

Bananas
Benches
Cabinets
Chocolate
Coffee
Coffins
Cork
Decking
Flooring
Guitars
Maple syrup
Mousetraps
Orange juice
Paper
Picture frames
Shingles
Tables
Window frames

USDA Organic

There are several different labels for USDA Organic foods.

• 100% Organic -- all ingredients are organic
• Organic -- at least 95% organic ingredients
• Made with Organic Ingredients – at least 70% organic ingredients with stringent restrictions on the other 30% which cannot contain any GMOs (genetically modified organisms)

In order to be considered an organic product, food must be grown without the use of pesticides, ionizing radiation, genetically modified organisms, sewage sludge, or synthetic fertilizers. Meat, eggs and dairy products can not come from animals that were given growth hormones or antibiotics.

If you’ve ever considered buying organic products but then saw the price, you may wonder why they can sometimes be so much more expensive. Quite simply it’s because organic farmers don’t receive federal subsidies like their non-organic farming counterparts do. Their farms are smaller and organic farming requires more work.

I started buying recycled products (paper, aluminum foil, paper towels, etc.) after my granddaughter, Laura, was born. Every time I spend the extra money on recycled goods, I just consider it an investment in her future. That’s the same way we can look at spending extra on food and products bearing these labels. Investing in a better earth for future generations, as well as caring for today’s population across the globe, is worth the added cost in the long run.

Of course, that’s only my opinion.

Keeping it green,

Hana