The difference between "Organic" and "Non-GMO".

Is there a difference between organic and Non-GMO? Ummm. Yes, and it’s huge!

One day I was walking through Costco and I picked up my organic almond milk and then realized that the soy milk says non-GMO soy milk. However I just passed another soy milk that said organic but didn't say non-GMO. Then I got confused so I started to do some research to see the difference between organic and non-gmo because I did not know which one was a better choice and I know I can’t be the only one wondering about the confusing labels.

Lets start with Organic. The USDA states that the goal of organic foods and organic farming is to “integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance and conserve biodiversity.” So basically if you see the word “USDA Organic” or “Certified Organic” on your food, that item must have an ingredient list that contains 95% of organic contents, meaning free of synthetic additives, pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and dyes and must not be processed using industrial solvents, irradiation, or genetic engineering.

Here’s where it gets tricky. “Certified Organic” will not be the only label you will see. You may also see “100% organic”, which means all of the ingredients must meet the guidelines above, however it just means that 70% of the ingredients are organic and the USDA seal cannot be used anywhere on the package. The remaining 30% of the contents may not be foods processed with additives on a special exclusion list.

Okay now for Non-GMO. This means the food was non-genetically modified. GMOs are genetically modified organisms created in a lab using genetic modification and engineering techniques. Scientists and consumer and environmental groups have cited many health and environmental risks with foods containing GMOS.

So I have learned that if something is non-GMO it is just that. non-GMO. However they can still use synthetic pesticides, roundup herbicides, antibiotics, etc. That means Organic beats Non-GMO any day. Certified organic foods are also non-GMO.

Now check this out. Organic foods prohibit many of the chemicals known as “obesogens” that trigger our bodies to store fat. Antibiotics, growth hormones, pesticides, and synthetic preservatives are just a few of the chemicals that researchers have defined as obesogens. There is a theory that obesogens could be making us fat after strong evidence when the chemical exposure caused weight gain in experimental mice.

The mouse on top was exposed at birth to a tiny amount of endocrine-disrupting chemical and these chemicals can be found in synthetic pesticides sprayed on non-GMO and conventional crops.

If you can, choose “Certified Organic” foods and unprocessed whole foods over the others. It will make a difference. Its important to share what we are learning with people so feel free to share this article so we all can know the difference. Every time we buy something, it becomes so much more than just what we are eating. We are contributing to the entire food system- everything that comes from the environment, land, air, water to the farmers themselves. We should always be trying to make the best possible choice for our planet and ourselves.