When it comes to retirement, theres one question that is sure to get a lot of people to save: Could you survive if you only received Social Security?

But the fact is millions live off their monthly Social Security benefit check. How do they do it?

Barbara Woodruff, 65, of St. Louis told Grandparents.com how she manages.

Her check: $633 a month. This is much less than the national average.

As of June, the average Social Security benefit was $1,254.78 per month.

Woodruff is collecting less than many folks because health problems reduced her working years, she told Grandparents.coms Daisy Chan. As Chan points out, Social Security benefits are based on your earnings during your working years.

Part of the reason Woodruff can survive on just Social Security is that she gets subsidized housing. She pays $189 for a one-bedroom apartment. She also receives $33 a month in food stamps.

Read more about how Woodruff gets by.

Woodruff has a lot of company in trying to survive on Social Security. As Rebecca Lake reported for Investopedia.com, 21 percent of married couples and 43 percent of single seniors count on Social Security for 90 percent or more of their income.

Social Security isnt a substitute for building a solid retirement base, and if youve still got time before you retire, consider looking for ways to shore up your savings, Lake wrote. Start by chipping in as much as you reasonably can to your employers retirement plan, especially if it comes with a matching contribution. If you dont have a 401(k) or similar plan at work, an individual retirement account (IRA) is another way to grow your savings. The more you set aside now, the less pressure youll feel to make your Social Security benefits stretch.

If you think youll be relying just on Social Security, here are some articles with tips on how to make the money stretch.

How to Have a Comfortable Retirement on Social Security Alone

9 Ways to Retire on Social Security Alone

11 Ideas for Living on Nothing More than Social Security in Retirement

Are you living on just Social Security? If so, how do you do it? Send your comments to colorofmoney@washpost.com.

Retirement rants and ravesIm interested in your experiences or concerns about retirement. Did you retire early and if so, how did you do it?

Is retirement everything you hoped for? Are you scared youll run out of money?

What you share might help others. So send your comments to colorofmoney@washpost.com. Please include your name, city and state. In the subject line put Retirement Rants and Raves.

One recent rant came from a friend.

So, you worked hard, saved your money, cut off your adult children, and retired, Maribel Soto of Burke, Va. Are you prepared for retirements close companion: aging? The consequences of aging will have a monumental effect on your financial position. It will not be enough to have perfect adult children who did not deflate your retirement wealth. Do your adult children/loved ones have the competence and capability to navigate the health care, legal, and social services systems to ensure your well-being and quality of life?

Soto asks some good questions considering her own experience.

Try telling the Social Security Administration that the court has declared you as your mothers legal guardian, she wrote. Show up with all your court records, and they will say, We do not recognize the courts assessment, we have to conduct our own, meanwhile we cant tell you why her benefits have been stopped. Yet, the assisted living facility has to be paid. That is just the tip of the iceberg.

Heres Sotos poetic take on aging:Loving father,Loving mother,Loving son,Loving daughter,Only one faces Medicaid, Social Security, the court system, the banks, and the creditors.. . . and she is not enough.

Retirement blogI believe that wealth happens intentionally and for me this means reading as much as I can about all things financial, especially retirement.

Since were talking about retiring on just Social Security, heres a blog post that you may find helpful: 5 American Cities Where You Can Retire On Just Social Security

Retirement assignment

Theres so much to know and keep watch on when it comes to retirement planning. So every week Ill have a home assignment for you.

This week, if you havent done it already, set up your online Social Security account, which allows you to check your information, including how much youll get once you start collecting benefits. Knowing this information is key to retirement planning.

Heres the direct link for my Social Security.

Before you get started, watch the video created by Social Security on how to create your account. Youll find it at the bottom of the page.

I also recommend you read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) posting by Social Security on setting up an online account.

I want to hear how your home assignment went. What did you learn? Did the assignment make you change any of your plans?

Send your comments to colorofmoney@washpost.com. Put Retirement Assignment in the subject line. Ill also be open to suggestions for assignments.

Newsletter comments policyPlease note it is my personal policy to identify readers who respond to questions I ask in my newsletters. I find it encourages thoughtful and civil conversation. I want my newsletters to be a safe place to express your opinion. On sensitive matters or upon request, Im happy to include just your first name and/or last initial. But I prefer not to post anonymous comments (I do make exceptions when Im asking questions that might reveal sensitive information or cause conflict.)

Have a question about your finances? Michelle Singletary has a weekly live chat every Thursday at noon where she discusses financial dilemmas with readers. You can also write to Michelle directly by sending an email to michelle.singletary@washpost.com. Personal responses may not be possible, and comments or questions may be used in a future column, with the writers name, unless otherwise requested. To read more Color of Money columns, go here.

If youre viewing this post online sign up to receive Michelle Singletarys free newsletters right into your email box: Your Retirement on Mondays & Personal Finance on Thursdays

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Could you live off Social Security alone? - Washington Post

Due to women getting married later, fewer women gettingmarried and, among those who do marry, an increase in divorce, women arespending fewer years married overall, according to the Center for Retirement Researchat Boston College.

If women as a group now spend about half of their adultyears unmarried, it probably makes sense to explore their savings andinvestment behavior separately from men, the center says. This change hassignificant implications for financial planning.

For the oldest cohort, those born between 1931 and 1941, 72% of womens yearsbetween the ages of 20 and the last interview were spent married. Looking at mid-Boomers, i.e. those born between 1954 and 1959, the years spentmarried in that same timeframe had dropped to 54%. There is strong evidence to show that an individual's marital statusespecially an unexpected change in marital statushas a big impact on financial security over time.

The reason why the number of years women are married has declined is because,among the oldest cohort, the average age that women got married was 21.4. Formid-Boomers, this has crept up to 24.3. Among the oldest cohort, 3.9% nevermarried, and for mid-Boomers, this has risen to 12.2%. Just over one-third,33.9%, of the oldest cohort divorced, and today, 49.3% of mid-Boomer women aredivorced.

The Center for Retirement Research at Boston Collegesreport on this issue, Do Women Still Spend Most of Their Lives Married?, canbe downloaded here.

Excerpt from:
Women Spending Fewer Years Married, Shifting Retirement Outlook - Planadviser.com

Don't give that fourth running back spot to Corey Clement just yet.

Wendell Smallwood isn't going to go down quietly.

Smallwood, the Eagles' second-year running back from West Virginia, is back practicing with no restrictions after missing nearly two weeks with a hamstring injury.

Smallwood has yet to play in a preseason game, and with undrafted rookieClement acquitting himself well both at practice and in the first couple preseason games, the pressure is on Smallwood to produce soon to secure a roster spot.

It was real frustrating," Smallwood said after practiceMonday. "Just missing those reps, missing two straight preseason games, not being able to get better. You get better with those game reps and those practice reps, so I think I need to start taking advantage of every one I have."

Smallwood got hurt two weeks agoMonday, and although he returned on a limited basis last week, Monday'spractice with the Dolphins was his first with no restrictions since he got hurt.

He looked good. He looked fast and physical. And he said he finally feels 100 percent.

I think so," he said. "I feel good. Today I forgot about it. Wasnt even thinking about the injury. Didnt think twice about cuts, running, bursting, anything like that. I think I got it back.

"Its a huge relief just because last week practicing I could sense that it was still there and I was still kind of thinking about it, and the coaches could sense it, so being this week, Im full go, its not bothering me. You could see I got some of my burst back. Im good."

Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich saidMondaythat Smallwood is more of an every-down back than he first realized.

"You know, I think Wendell is a truethree-down back," he said. "When we first drafted him, I kind of looked at him as more like a first- and second-down back. I thought he would be OK on third down, but really he's turned out to be better on third down than I thought.

"So really I think he is a very versatile back who knows protections very well, who runs good routes, who catches the ball well. And then I think he's a slashing runner on firstand seconddown, so we like that combination. He's done very well. He works very hard at it. Love him mentally, and really glad he's in the mix."

Smallwood played well early last year before he admittedly got out of shape, hurt his knee and wound up on injured reserve.

He ran for 79 yards against the Steelers and 70 against the Falcons the Eagles' two biggest wins of the year before fading later in the season.

He said learning how to work through an injury is an important lesson for a young NFL player.

"Im definitely more equipped in my second year getting hurt than my first year because I dealt with it differently," he said. "I let it get to me a lot and kind of shied away from the game, but this year I got more into the game.

It was frustrating, but I stayed into the game plan, stayed in my playbook,[and]I didnt let it get to me. I stayed dialed in. It was frustrating to me, but I know what I can do and I know what Im capable of. Im right back out here and Im ready to go, and Im full go."

Much has been made of the Eagles' struggles running the ball this preseason.

LeGarrette Blount is averaging 1.9 yards on nine carries, rookie fourth-round pick Donnel Pumphrey has two yards on seven carries, Clement and Byron Marshall are both averaging under 4.0 yards per carry, and Darren Sproles and Smallwood haven't gotten any carries.

As a group, the Eagles' running backs are averaging 2.4 yards per carry.

The Eagles finish the preseason against the Dolphins at the LincThursday the first offense is expected to play into the third quarter and at the Meadowlands against the Jets, when most starters won't paly.

Smallwood knows people are already questioning the Eagles' running game.

We sense it, we hear it, but like Doug (Pederson) said, were not going to overreact, were not going to underreact," he said. "Its preseason, were going to get better at it, we know what were capable of doing. Were not going to let it get to us that much.

This game is going to be the one where we dial up the run and show how we can run the ball."

And it needs to be the game that Smallwood does the same thing.

Im definitely very hungry," he said. "I missed a lot of reps and missed a lot of game reps that could have made me better. So this is my chance to take it and go full throttle.

Its the game, man. Its my welcome home party. Im back on the field, going to go out there, I'm going to get some plays, Im going to get some runs, going to get some passes. Its real important for me."

Smallwood finished last year with a 4.1 rushing average, becoming only the fourth Eagles rookie running back to rush for 300 yards with an average of 4.0 or more in the last 35 years (also Correll Buckhalter, LeSean McCoy and Bryce Brown).

And he felt before the injury he had come a long way from his rookie year.

I definitely think I took that step," he said. "From last year to this year, I took that leap that I needed, and I think just my running, I was more dialed in, my shoulder pads were getting low, I was running through people instead of trying to run around. I wasnt thinking so much. I was just playing with confidence.

"Now Ive just got to do itThursdaynight and every day were out here at practice."

See the article here:
NFL Notes: Bills' Anquan Boldin announces retirement - Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia

How do you determine how much money you will need in retirement? A lot depends on the retirement lifestyle that you desire. A person who wants to travel and has a large bucket list will need more money than one who has simpler needs. There are many schools of thought about how much money is necessary and we will look at one of them here.

The 80% Rule is a good guideline for those a long way from retiring who want to, at a minimum, retain the standard of living they had before retirement. Many financial planners suggest that 80% of your pre-retirement income will give you a retirement standard of living that is substantially similar to your pre-retirement standard of living. This is based on three assumptions:

First, you will not be paying payroll taxes (Social Security and Medicare) or making pension contributions (CSRS or FERS). For most federal employees, these mandatory taxes and contributions take 8.45% out of our paycheck. You will also not be contributing to the TSP out of your retirement income. Some employees (those hired on or after 01/01/2013 and special category employees) contribute more for their FERS pension and will, thereby save more after they retire.

The second assumption is that your mortgage will be paid off. Only you know if this will be true. A 2011 report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said almost 1/3 of Americans 65 and over still had a mortgage and the average balance was $79,000. This report, though five years old, was cited in recent articles in the Los Angeles Times and on Bloomberg.com.

Third, your other expenses will be lower. Expenses that might go down are commuting, clothing, and food outside the home. Of course travel and recreation expenses might increase.

So, how do you get to the point where you will have 80% of your pre-retirement income? It requires significant and disciplined saving in the TSP and other retirement investments. Well look at a couple of examples and try to estimate how much we will need to save over and above our federal pension and Social Security. In these examples, we are looking at a federal employee who retires at age 62 after 32 years of service with a high-three salary of $100,000. Both of the examples are for regular employees.

If this employee were CSRS, her pension would be $60,250 and she would likely have no (or very limited) Social Security. She would be roughly $20,000 short of the 80% goal.

If this employee were FERS, her pension would be $35,200. Her Social Security would likely be in the vicinity of $20,000, giving her a total of $55,000. She would be roughly $25,000 short of the 80% goal.

This shortfall of 20% to 25% would have to be made up from sources such as the TSP or other retirement savings if these individuals were to have the same standard of living after retirement as they did before retirement. If we were to use another Rule put forth by financial planners, the 4% Rule, this would argue for a TSP balance in the vicinity of $500,000. The 4% Rule states that an individual has an excellent chance of not running out of money over a 30 year period (the age of 92 for the person in our example) if they begin withdrawing from a balanced portfolio at a 4% rate and then adjust that rate annually for inflation.

So, is it possible to have a half million dollar balance in your TSP at the time you retire? Well, it depends on how much money you have in your TSP today and how many more years you have to work. If youre in the early part of your career its not at all out of the realm of possibility that you could have more than $500,000 at retirement. The TSP website has several calculators available, including one called How Much Will My Savings Grow?, that can help you determine where you will be in the future. Of course, it asks you to make assumptions about your future salary and future investment growth, but it can give you an idea.

This article has looked at only your federal retirement benefits (CSRS or FERS pension, TSP and Social Security); we havent looked at other resources you might have such as IRAs, real estate, etc. Regardless of what were looking at, it is to your advantage to save early and save often.

See original here:
80 Percent Rule for Retirement - FEDweek

Organic FoodHow to Fully Understand The Labels on Organic FoodsWhy Organic Foods are Better for HealthWhy Organicically Grown Foods Are Better for the Health of Our PlanetHow to Understand the New Regulation of Organic FoodsOther Questions About Organic Foods

Organic FoodWhat is organic food?

Organic is primarily a labeling term that is used on a wide variety of foods that have been produced through methods and practices approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and its National Organics Program (NOP). Organic is also one of the single best steps you can take to safeguard the quality of your food. In many cases, organic is also good step for the environment.

Many people think about "organic" as meaning "earth friendly." Even though this meaning often holds true, it doesn't always. Organic regulations focus on farming practices and food production steps that can be monitored and controlled to decrease risk of food contamination and improve food quality. But for the most part, organic regulations simply do not try to address more complicated issues involving the earth and sustainability.

Here is one simple example of the difference between the focus of organic regulations and a focus on sustainability. In the U.S., we currently plant about 92 million acres of corn, 78 million acres of soybeans, and 57 million acres of wheat. Ecologists view these 227 million acres and the way they are planted as non-sustainable. Many factors combine to make our current planting of corn and soybeans and wheat non-sustainable. Included are factors like natural water cycles and natural mineral cycles in North America and their inability to accommodate the 227 million acres of these three crops as currently cultivated. The USDA's organics program does not address or evaluate the sustainability of these crop acres. The program limits its focus to the farming steps that would be needed in order for all 227 million acres of corn and soybeans and wheat to be certified as organic. For example, USDA organic guidelines would prohibit use of genetic engineering, fertilization with sewage sludge, and irradiation on any of these acres. Such changes would most likely improve the quality of the crops and the quality of the land. But the practice of planting 227 million acres with these three crops would still be non-sustainable, and this non-sustainability would not matter from the USDA's perspective. Provided that USDA organic requirements were met, these crops would be labeled organic regardless of their sustainability. The bottom line here is simple: organic food production is better for the environment and better for our health than conventional food production methods, but important earth-related questions like sustainability are not typically addressed in organic regulations and might not be furthered by adoption of organic standards.

Of special importance in organics are the "big three." Genetic engineering, irradiation, and sewage sludge are sometimes referred to as "the big three" by commentators on the National Organics Program, since they are practices that can have an especially problematic impact on health and the environment. The "big three" have always been - and are still - prohibited by organic regulations. Along with prohibition of these three practices, however, a wide variety of other practices are prohibited in production of organic food. For example, most synthetic chemicals (including most synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers) are prohibited by organic regulations. All off these prohibitions in organic food production are important. They help to safeguard the quality of our food and to reduce our health risk from food contaminants.How to Fully Understand the Labels on Organic FoodsWhat Does the "Organic" Label Mean?

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) sets, defines, and regulates the use and meaning of "Organic" on food labels. It is the term used to describe raw or processed agricultural products and ingredients that have been (a) organically grown (farmed) and (b) handled in compliance with the standards of April 2001, which have been fully enforced since October 2002. These standards prohibit the used of:

Many people are not completely sure about the precise meaning of the word "organic" or "organically grown" on food labels. One of their concerns is whether or not they can trust that the words ensure that the foods were grown or produced without the use of potentially hazardous chemicals.

The first thing to keep in mind is that the term "organic" can be applied to a variety of different kinds of foods. The term can be used on agricultural products, and on meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products. And it also applies to the methods used to process organically grown foods in preparing them for market or to retard spoilage.

Managament methods may include:

Crop-related pest problems must be controlled by mechanical and physical methods including:

Weed problems must be controlled by:

Disease problems must be controlled by:

The National List provides a list of allowed and prohibited substances for organically grown crops.

Organic production is managed with the intent to integrate cultural, biological and mechanical practices to promote the cycling of resources, promote ecological balance and biodiversity. Practices help to protect the soil, groundwater, provide health promoting conditions for animals and ultimately help promote the health of the consumer.

The National List provides a list of allowed and prohibited substances for organically grown meat, poultry, eggs and dairy.

Mechanical or biological methods used to process an organically produced agricultural product for the purpose of retarding spoilage or otherwise preparing the agricultural product for market. This includes acceptable processing aids and ingredients, appropriate packaging materials and labeling, cleaning methods, waste disposal and pest management at processing facilities.Why did we need regulation of organic foods?

More than two decades ago, when the U.S. Congress passed its 1990 Farm Bill, a congressional mandate was included in the bill (Title 21) instructing the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to create a national legal definition of "organic" that would provide reliable, uniform, and enforceable standards for any food bearing the term "organic."

The development of organic standards was designed to provide consumers with a food labeling process that they could trust to reflect high-quality standards in food production.What is USDA certification?

Certification is the process by which the consumer is assured that a product marketed as "organic" is in compliance with production and handling requirements set forth in USDA regulations.

All producers of organic food, livestock, and fiber crops as well as handlers or organic products must be certified (except growers who gross less than $5000 and retailers).

Growers and handlers submit an Organic Farm Plan or an Organic Handling Plan to a USDA accredited certifying agent detailing their growing and handling methods.

On-site inspections are conducted by certifying agents to verify submitted plans. Methods and materials used in production must meet standards set in the new regulations. Clear documentation of methods and materials must be kept. There must be a paper trail tracing a product back to its production site, enabling verification of production methods and materials.

Certification is the process by which the consumer is assured that a product marketed as "organic" is in compliance with production and handling requirements set forth in USDA regulations.How are organic foods identified?

Organic foods can be identified through 4 different types of label information.

Least common in the marketplace, but most reliable, is the claim "100% organic" on the front of any certified organic food. This claim requires all ingredients in the food (without except) to be produced in compliance with organic regulations.

Much more common in the marketplace is the presence of the USDA organic logo on the front of a certified organic food. This USDA logo often appears in green as pictured below:

Certified organic foods bearing the USDA logo must contain at least 95% (by weight or fluid volume, excluding water and salt) approved ingredients. Up to 5% of the food may contain prohibited ingredients, if those ingredients are not available in organic form. For example, an ingredient containing a synthetic pesticide residue may be included in a certified organic food bearing the USDA logo, as long as that ingredient could not be obtained by the manufacturer in organic form and as long as the weight of the ingredient did not exceed 5% of the total weight of the product (by weight or fluid volume, excluding water and salt). However, there is one important caveat to this "5%" rule for certified organic foods bearing the USDA logo: even in the 5% "non-organic" portion of the food, ingredients are not allowed to be genetically engineered, fertilized with sewage sludge, or irradiated.

A third way to identify certified organic foods is through "Made With" labeling claims on the front of the packaging. For example, a certified organic pasta sauce may say "Made with Organic Tomatoes" on the front of the packaging. In the case of "Made With" claims, at least 70% of all ingredients (by weight or fluid volume, excluding water and salt) must be in compliance with all organic regulations. As such, 30% of ingredients may contain prohibited ingredients, provided that those ingredients are not available in organic form. Just like use of the organic logo, however, there is one important caveat to this "30%" rule for certified organic foods showing "Made With" claims: even in the 30% "non-organic" portion of the food, ingredients are not allowed to be genetically engineered, fertilized with sewage sludge, or irradiated.

A final way to identify certified organic foods is through individual ingredient entries on the Ingredients List on the side or back of the packaging. If a food contains less than 70% of its ingredients (by weight or fluid volume, excluding water and salt) as organic, no labeling claims are permitted on the front of the packaging. However, individual organic ingredients that comply with USDA regulations may be listed on the side or back of the packaging in the product's Ingredients List.

In summary, your best bet for selecting certified organic foods is to choose foods that state "100% Organic" on the front of the packaging. If you are purchasing whole fruits and vegetables in the produce section of the grocery and the foods are labeled as organic, that's just as good! These whole fruits and vegetables are simply themselves and have no additional ingredients from a labeling standpoint. It is worth pointing out, however, that certain waxes are permitted in the handling of certified organic fruits and vegetables including shellac (from the lac beetle) and carnauba wax (from carnauba palm). It's also worth pointing out that frozen or canned fruits and vegetables that have been certified as organic may contain added ingredients. If you are using the USDA's organic logo to identify these foods as organic, you will need to check the Ingredient List on the packaging to determine if added ingredients are present, and if any of these added ingredients are non-organic and simply fall into the "5%" non-organic category that logo-bearing foods are allowed to have under USDA regulations.

Critics of organic labeling sometimes point to these "5%" and "30%" rules as "loopholes" in the organic certification process, and they sometimes view these labeling standards as regulations that work to undermine the credibility of certified organic foods. Supporters of organic labeling point to the need for government to be realistic about food manufacturing and constraints on growers and manufacturers of food. At the World's Healthiest Foods, we believe that both sides make good points. However, as consumers, each of us has the ability - and perhaps also the responsibility - to ask questions about the quality of food, and to bring our own standards to bear on the food that we eat.What does it mean if I see the word "transitional" on a food label?

Crops grown on land that is in transition to organic (during the first three years after switching from conventional farming, for instance) cannot be certified as organic, and by federal law, cannot be labeled as "transitional". However, under state law, products can already be certified as "transitional" and will continue to be labeled as "transitional" as long as the state laws remain in effect.

One major group of foods - seafoods - are not currently covered within the regulations. The National Organics Standards Board has officially adopted recommendations for seafood (including both finfish and mollusks like oysters, clams, mussels and scallops), but these recommendations have not been added to the National List and implemented into the law as official USDA regulations.Are there any foods that are not covered by the federal organic standards?

Yes. As mentioned above, seafood is a major exception to the organic regulations and has yet to be legally certified by the USDA. Honey is also a food not directly regulated by the USDA. Certified organic honey has been a confusing issue for consumers, since the USDA allows its official organic logo to be placed on honey that has been certified as organic by other agencies.

Yes. You might see the following types of labels on federally certified organic foods:

Yes. Consumption of organically grown food is a great way to reduce your exposure to contaminants commonly found in foods that have been grown using conventional agricultural practices. These contaminants may include not only pesticides - many of which have been classified as potential cancer-causing agents - but also heavy metals such as lead and mercury, and solvents like benzene and toluene. Minimizing exposure to these potential toxins is an important benefit for your health. Heavy metals can damage nerve function, contributing to diseases such as multiple sclerosis, and interfere with hemoglobin production in a way that increases risk of anemia. Solvents can damage white blood cell function and lower the immune system's ability to resist infections.

In addition to lessening your exposure to these potentially harmful substances, organically grown foods, on average, contain higher levels of many nutrients including vitamins and minerals.

These two aspects of the organic consumption - decreased intake of contaminants and increased intake of nutrients - have both been topics of controversy in research. While we understand the reasons for this controversy, we are also firmly convinced that organically grown foods contain significantly fewer contaminants than their conventionally grown counterparts, as well as significantly richer nutrient content.

Let's take the contamination aspect first. One of the largest scale studies, conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on more than 94,000 food samples, found at least one pesticide residue on approximately 75% of conventionally grown fruits and vegetables, in comparison to approximately 25% of organically grown vegetables. Almost half of the pesticide residues found on organically grown vegetables involved DDT or its metabolites. (DDT is a pesticide that has been banned for 40 years for use on food, but because it can be very persistent in the environment, it often shows up in foods decades later.) When DDT and related pesticides were excluded from the results, the percentage of organically grown foods with pesticide residues dropped to about 13%. Studies have been conducted in countries throughout Europe and the Mediterranean comparing one or two specific, organically grown foods to their conventional counterparts, and the results have consistently shown lower contaminant levels in the organically grown foods.

With respect to nutrient content, organically grown fruits and vegetables - on average - appear to contain about 15% higher levels of nutrients than conventionally grown fruits and vegetables. Results in this area have not always been consistent, however, and in some cases, conventionally grown fruits and/or vegetables have been analyzed as having higher nutrient levels than organically grown vegetables. One early piece of research in this area - a review of 34 studies comparing the nutritional content of organic versus non-organic food - was published in 1998. In this research, compared to conventionally grown food, organically grown food was found to have: similar or slightly lower amounts of protein, but higher protein quality (in terms of amino acid composition); higher levels of vitamin C in about half of all studies; and 5-20% higher mineral levels for a majority of minerals. Higher flavonoid content has also been shown in one study of organic versus non-organic foods.

From our perspective at the World's Healthiest Foods, we are not surprised at either set of results. Organics regulations are quite extensive in their lists of prohibited substances, and lower levels of contaminants in certified organic foods make perfect sense. Foods depend on soil and water for their nourishment, and cleaner soil and water means cleaner food. It's that simple.

The nutrient concentrations in organic versus non-organic food are another matter, however. Here the relationship is not so simple. Soil quality can vary greatly from region to region, and many differences in soil quality cannot be overridden by organic farming practices. Neither can genetic tendencies in plants, which can be very closely connected with the plants' harvest-stage nutrient content. In short, nutrient composition in plants is the result of many different factors that interact in a complex way, and organic farming practices - while beneficial - would not be expected to function like an "overriding factor" in terms of nutrient content. The idea of an average improved nourishment level of 5-20% makes good sense to us given this complicated mix of factors.

When you combine a significantly lower exposure to food contaminants with a 5-20% greater intake of nutrients, what you get is a winning combination. That's exactly the way we think about certified organic foods with respect to health: they are a winning combination, and clearly deserve a place in your meal plan.What substances do we avoid by eating organic food?

Several thousand contaminants routinely present in the U.S. food supply are, by law, excluded from organic food, including:

Synthetic Pesticides: By far the largest group of contaminants to be largely prohibited from organically grown foods are synthetic pesticides, which are found virtually everywhere else in the food supply. Several hundred different chemicals and several thousand brand-name pesticide products are legally used in commercial food production. The Environmental Protection Agency has classified dozens of pesticides as potential carcinogens (cancer-causing agents). These pesticides can affect much more than the crops on which they are directly sprayed. A 1996 study by the Environmental Working Group found 96% of all water samples taken from 748 towns across the U.S. contained the pesticide atrazine, and at least 20 different chemical pesticides are routinely present in municipal tap water across the U.S. Many of these pesticide residues found in tap water started out in the form of crop sprays to help control infestation of food crops.

Heavy metals: The toxic metals cadmium, lead, and mercury can enter the food supply through industrial pollution of soil and groundwater and through machinery used in food processing and packaging. Cadmium exposure, which can be concentrated in plant tissues at levels higher than those in soil, has been linked to increased risk of lung, prostate and testicular cancers. Despite a well-documented negative impact on health - especially health of young children - lead residues can be found in many foods, including canned foods, which may still contain lead solder. Even low levels of lead intake can be harmful and have been associated with impaired neurobehavioral development, decreased stature and growth, and impaired hearing.

Solvents: Used to dissolve food components and produce food additives, solvents are found in a wide variety of commercially processed foods. Excessive exposure to solvents such as benzene and toluene has been linked to increased risk of several types of cancer. Excessive exposure to benzene has also been lined to increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis.

While food is by no means our only source of exposure to potentially harmful synthetic chemicals or heavy metals, food is something that passes continuously through our bodies, meal after meal, day after day, and year after year. It's this constant exposure to food that makes its quality so very important in our health.Why Organically Grown Foods Are Better for the Health of Our PlanetWhat are the environmental benefits of organic farming over conventional farming methods?

Organically grown foods are cultivated using farming practices that can work to preserve and protect the environment.

Most conventional farming methods depend on a wide range of "off-farm inputs" for success. If the soil does not contain enough minerals, minerals are purchased from off the farm in the form of bagged synthetic fertilizers from a farm supply store. If there is not enough water available, irrigation pumps are installed and natural gas is used to run the pumps and irrigate the fields with groundwater. If insects are a threat to crops, pesticides are purchased from a supply store and sprayed to prevent crop infestation. These methods may result in successful crop production, but they do not result in sustainable use of resources. And in many cases, they can pose a risk to health by contaminating soil, water and air with levels of synthetic chemicals that cannot be readily absorbed by the earth.

Organic farming practices try to minimize "off-farm inputs" and seek to develop farming environment that is more self-contained. Along with the composting of plant materials, animals on the farm may be able to provide much of the necessary fertilizer in the form of composted manure. Crop rotation and the planting of cover crops may be able to improve soil nourishment. Avoidance of moldboard plowing may be able to help preserve soil integrity. Interplanting of crops may help reduce the need for pesticides as might biological balances in which natural predators take care of unwanted pests. Berms may help protect soil and plants from wind.

According to many experts in the field of resource conservation and global warming, changes in farming practices worldwide could very likely form a centerpiece for climate stabilization across out planet. Organic farming practices may be able to greatly reduce carbon emissions associated with production and transport of synthetic fertilizers, and carbon sequestration (retention) by agricultural land could be greatly increased through organic farming practices. By cutting down on carbon emissions and capturing more carbon in croplands themselves, organic farmers might be able to change U.S. agriculture from being a net emitter (releaser) of carbon into the atmosphere to a net retainer of carbon. That change might be able to help reverse the problem of humankind's ever-increasing carbon footprint.Can you give me a one or two sentence summary of "organic" as it applies to USDA food labeling?

When the USDA certifies a food as organic, it is guaranteeing that the food was produced through USDA-approved methods designed to improve food quality and environmental conditions associated with food production. As part of this guarantee, the USDA forbids the use of sewage sludge, irradiation, or genetic engineering in any certified organic food, and at present, certified organic food is one of the few ways that U.S. consumers have to guarantee the absence of these practices from a food's production.How are organic foods regulated?

Federal regulations are the laws authorized by major legislation enacted by the U.S. Congress. As part of the 1990 Farm Bill, the U.S. Congress included a title called Title XXI: The Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA). In this section of the Farm Bill, Congress instructed the U.S. Department of Agriculture to establish the National Organic Program (NOP). Once the 1990 Farm Bill was approved and signed into law, the USDA became responsible for developing organic standards.What is the National Organic Standards Board?

As part of its ongoing process for development of organic standards, the National Organic Program relies heavily on the work of its 15-member National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). The NOSB is appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture and is comprised of representatives from the following categories: farmer/grower; handler/processor; retailer; consumer/public interest; environmentalist; scientist; and certifying agent. Several standing committees exist on the NOSB, including a Livestock Committee, Materials Committee, Crops Committee, Policy Development Committee, Handling Committee, and Certification/Accreditation/Compliance Committee. NOSB committees typically meet on a quarterly basis to review petitions and consider proposed changes in organic regulations.What factors led up to U.S. government certification of organic food?

Organic production had been practiced in the United States since the late 1940s. From that time, the industry had grown from experimental garden plots to large farms with surplus products sold under a special organic label. Food manufacturers developed organic processed products and many retail marketing chains specialized in the sale of "organic" products. This growth stimulated a need for verification that products are indeed produced according to certain standards. Thus, the organic certification industry also evolved.

More than 40 private organizations and state agencies (certifiers) currently certify organic food, but their standards for growing and labeling organic food may differ. For example, some agencies may permit or prohibit different pesticides or fertilizers in growing organic food. In addition, the language contained in seals, labels, and logos approved by organic certifiers may differ. By the late 1980s, after an attempt to develop a consensus of production and certification standards, the organic industry petitioned Congress to draft the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) defining "organic."Can you give me more details about the certification process?

Certification standards establish the requirements that organic production and handling operations must meet to become accredited by USDA-accredited certifying agents. The information that an applicant must submit to the certifying agent includes the applicant's organic system plan. This plan describes (among other things) practices and substances used in production, record keeping procedures, and practices to prevent commingling of organic and non-organic products. The certification standards also address on-site inspections.

Producers and handling (processing) operations that sell less than $5,000 a year in organic agricultural products are exempt from certification. They may label their products organic if they abide by the standards, but they cannot display the USDA Organic seal. Retail operations, such as grocery stores and restaurants, do not have to be certified.

Accreditation standards establish the requirements an applicant must meet in order to become a USDA-accredited certifying agent. The standards are designed to ensure that all organic certifying agents act consistently and impartially. Successful applicants will employ experienced personnel, demonstrate their expertise in certifying organic producers and handlers, and prevent conflicts of interest and maintain strict confidentiality.

Imported agricultural products may be sold in the United States if they are certified by USDA-accredited certifying agents. Imported products must meet the NOP standards. USDA has accredited certifying agents in several foreign countries.

In lieu of USDA accreditation, a foreign entity also may be accredited when USDA "recognizes" that its government is able to assess and accredit certifying agents as meeting the requirements of the NOP called a recognition agreement.What is rulemaking?

Rulemaking is the process of creating, amending, or removing regulations from the organics standards. The National Organics Program typically conducts rulemaking using four sequential steps:

1. Initial Planning. Before beginning the rulemaking process, the NOP first determines that the regulatory action is authorized by the Organic Foods Production Act. Rulemaking may be initiated for a variety of reasons, including: description of new requirements, clarification of existing language, and amendment of the National List.

2. Proposed Rule. A notice of proposed rulemaking is issued by the NOP, which proposes to add, change, or delete regulatory language and includes a request for public comments during a specified time period.

3. Public Comments. Public comments on the proposed rule are received and analyzed by the NOP.

4. Final Rule. A file rule is issued.

The overall rulemaking process can be lengthy, and can take anywhere from one to multiple years. What are the basic organic standards for plant crops?

Farmers wanting to produce certified organic crops must show the USDA that their cropland has been free of prohibited substances for a period of 3 years. In addition farmers must agree to use practices that help promote soil integrity, including crop rotation and composting. While the USDA allows composted manure to be used in organic crop production, composting standards for manure are much stricter than non-organic standards. To prevent "drift" from synthetic pesticides or fertilizers used on non-organic adjacent cropland, farmers are also required to establish buffer zones around all certified organic crops. What are the basic organic standards for livestock (animals)?

When raising animals for food, farmers seeking organic certification are required to provide animals with 100% organic feed. They are also prohibited from routine use of antibiotics, wormers, and other prescription medications as a means of preventing illness in animals. There is also a requirement that animals have access to pasture during the grazing season, and that a minimum of 30% of total dry matter intake (DMI) be obtained from pasture forage during the grazing season. At a minimum, the grazing season must extend for at least 120 days. Organic regulations also require that animals have outdoor access during the first 6 months of life, except for circumstances involving problematic weather. Are there basic organic standards for processing and handling?

Yes. Processors of certified organic food are forbidden to use certain additives, including sulfites, nitrites, and nitrates. Handlers of certified organic food are not allowed to store the food in any containers that contain prohibited synthetic fungicides or fumigants. In addition, containers that have previously come into contact with prohibited substances may not be reused to store certified organic foods. What is the National List?

The National List is a critical part of federal organic standards. It lists materials that are acceptable for use in organic food production, materials that are prohibited from use, and "processing aids" that are acceptable during the organic food production process. As a very general guideline, natural (non-synthetic) substances are allowed for use in organic production and synthetic substances are prohibited. However, there are definitely exceptions to this general rule, and the National List includes a specific section for Allowed Synthetic Substances and Prohibited Non-Synthetic (natural) Substances. The National List does not specific brand name products of any kind, but instead lists all allowed and prohibited substances by generic name. It's important to remember that the National List is continually changing, since allowed and prohibited substances can be added or removed from the list. Removals and additions typically involve NOSB committee review of petitions from manufacturers and other parties seeking changes in National List. Take me directly to the The National List.How do I know if my food is organic?

Look at the label. If you see the USDA organic seal, the product is certified organic and has 95 percent or more organic content (by weight, excluding water and salt). For multi-ingredient products such as bread or soup, if the label claims that it is made with specified organic ingredients, you can be confident that those specific ingredients have been certified organic.Can you give me more details about labeling?

Labeling standards are based on the percentage of organic ingredients in a product. Products labeled "100 percent organic" must contain only organically produced ingredients. Products labeled "organic" must consist of at least 95 percent organically produced ingredients. Products meeting the requirements for "100 percent organic" and "organic" may display the USDA Organic seal.

Processed products that contain at least 70 percent organic ingredients can use the phrase "made with organic ingredients" and list up to three of the organic ingredients or food groups on the principal display panel. For example, soup made with at least 70 percent organic ingredients and only organic vegetables may be labeled either "made with organic peas, potatoes, and carrots," or "made with organic vegetables." The USDA Organic seal cannot be used anywhere on the package.

Processed products that contain less than 70 percent organic ingredients cannot use the term "organic" other than to identify the specific ingredients that are organically produced in the ingredients statement.

A civil penalty of up to $11,000 for each offense can be levied on any person who knowingly sells or labels as organic a product that is not produced and handled in accordance with the National Organic Program's regulations.What about other types of food labels?

There are other voluntary labels for livestock products, such as meat and eggs:

Free-range. This label indicates that the flock was provided shelter in a building, room, or area with unlimited access to food, fresh water, and continuous access to the outdoors during their production cycle. The outdoor area may or may not be fenced and/or covered with netting-like material. This label is regulated by the USDA.

Cage-free. This label indicates that the flock was able to freely roam a building, room, or enclosed area with unlimited access to food and fresh water during their production cycle.

Natural. As required by USDA, meat, poultry, and egg products labeled as "natural" must be minimally processed and contain no artificial ingredients. However, the natural label does not include any standards regarding farm practices and only applies to processing of meat and egg products. There are no standards or regulations for the labeling of natural food products if they do not contain meat or eggs.

Grass-fed. Grass-fed animals receive a majority of their nutrients from grass throughout their life, while organic animals' pasture diet may be supplemented with grain. Also USDA regulated, the grass-fed label does not limit the use of antibiotics, hormones, or pesticides. Meat products may be labeled as grass-fed organic.

Pasture-raised. Due to the number of variables involved in pasture-raised agricultural systems, the USDA has not developed a labeling policy for pasture-raised products.

Humane. Multiple labeling programs make claims that animals were treated humanely during the production cycle, but the verification of these claims varies widely. These labeling programs are not regulated.

Other Questions About Organic FoodsDo organic foods taste better?

From a research standpoint, we don't know, because we have to see any large-scale formal research in this area. On an anecdotal basis, however, some people - including many chefs - believe that organic foods have better taste, color and flavor. The superior taste of organic foods leads these chefs to choose organic foods for their kitchens. One recent and informal survey conducted by the National Restaurant Association found that 50% of restaurants with a per-person dinner check of $25 or more offer organic items on their menus.Why do organic foods cost more?

Much of the higher cost of organic foods can be explained by the scale of production. Organically grown foods - while growing in popularity across the U.S. and reaching a level of $25 billion in sales - still account for less than 4% of all foods purchased in the U.S. In comparison to conventionally grown foods, organic foods simply cannot reach the same economy of scale. The huge difference in production volume means that organically grown foods cannot compete in price with conventionally grown foods on a nationwide basis.

Organic foods don't always cost more, however. In some areas of the country and during certain seasons, the price of certain organic foods may be practically identical to the price of their conventionally grown counterparts. This situation is not common, but it does exist.

It's important to remember that conventionally grown foods often have a "hidden" cost - the cost of environmental harm and the cost of long-term health risks. These "hidden" costs do not show up on the grocery store shopping receipt, but they exist nevertheless.

How popular are organic foods?

Organic foods have been growing in popularity, not only in the United States, but worldwide. According to data from the Organic Trade Association, organic sales in the U.S. surpassed $26.5 billion in 2010 - a 7.7% increase in growth in one year. Organic Monitor estimates (also provided through the Organic Trade Association) show worldwide organic sales to have reached approximately $55 billion in 2009. On a worldwide basis, over 37 million hectares of land were cultivated organically in 2009 and used to produce organic crops. (Since one hectare is roughly 2.5 acres, this amount of land is roughly equivalent to 92.5 million acres.)What is the history of organic foods?

Long before the federal government got involved in the regulation of organic foods, dozens of states had passed organic laws of their own. Today, 45 out of the 50 states have their own organic laws. And even before state laws were established, concerned farmers set up voluntary organic certification systems. The first organization in the country to certify organic farms was CCOF, California Certified Organic Farmers, over twenty years ago.

Since states continue to uphold their own organic regulations the label on an organically grown food may contain other phrases besides "100% Organic" and "Made with Organic Ingredients". The most important of these phrases are "Certified Organic" and "Transitional Organic". In states that allow the label "Certified Organic" you can be sure that 100% of the food ingredients were produced organically. In states where the label says "Transitional Organic," you can be sure the food's producers are making an effort to fully comply with state standards but are simply not there yet, since it takes time for all prohibited substances to become absent from the soil, even though these substances are no longer being used in the cultivation process.

Even though organic food sales in the U.S. surpassed $26.5 billion in 2010, organic food sales remained less than 4% of total U.S. food sales. Because the vast majority of U.S. foods are not produced organically, organic regulations have often come under pressure to accommodate non-organic techniques. This pressure was particularly strong in the mid 1990's when a recommendation was made to allow use of sewage sludge, irradiation and genetic engineering in organically certified foods. This recommendation was rejected, partially in response to more than 250,000 letters received by the USDA in opposition to these regulatory changes. To this day, consumer pressure remains important in keeping the "big three" (genetic engineering, irradiation, and sewage sludge) out of organic crop production.

One of the most controversial aspects of the OFPA continues to be the National List. This list of substances permitted and prohibited in organic food production undergoes quarterly review by a government board called the National Organics Standards Board (NOSB). The NOSB includes five separate committees, including committees on livestock, food processing, crops and materials. The materials committee, in particular, must review a constant supply of petitions asking or permission to use more and more substances in the production of organically certified foods.Where can I look on the Internet for more information about organic foods?

The official site of the National Organic Program (NOP) is a great place to start.

Organic trade association websites can also be extremely helpful. One of our favorites is the Organic Trade Association. Also very helpful is IFOAM: The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements. Other helpful sites include: The Organic Consumers Association and Local Harvest.

For information on organic farming, you will want to visit the NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Project. This site is overseen by ATTRA, a key government agency providing information in the area of organic and sustainable agriculture.

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Everything You Need to Know About Organic Foods

Organic agriculture, which is governed by strict government standards, requires that products bearing the organic label are produced without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and synthetic nitrogen fertilizers, antibiotics, synthetic hormones, genetic engineering or other excluded practices, sewage sludge, or irradiation.

Organic farmers understand that what you put into the soil has a profound impact on what you get out of it. That is why they rely on such practices as hand weeding, mechanical control, mulches, cover crops, crop rotation and dense planting, rather than toxic and persistent pesticides, herbicides, and synthetic nitrogen fertilizers, to enrich the soil in which they grow their crops.

They recognize that doing so provides plants with the nutrients they need to grow. Plus, it enables the absorption of major and micro-nutrients like Vitamin C, resulting in a higher nutrient content and often a better tasting crop.

It all starts with practices to help build healthy soils, which nurture the plants and help decrease the incidence of plant disease. In order to earn organic certification, land must be handled without prohibited materials for at least three years. With certification, organic farmers must develop an organic operating farm plan, which is overseen by their certification agency with annual third-party inspections.

U.S. Organic Standards Natural vs. Organic Organic Farming Practices What does 'organic'reallymean?

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How is organic food grown? | OTA

ORGANIC FOOD BAR is a tightly-knit family. Each person who works here at our headquarters in Henderson Nevada is member of that family. Most of our staff have been here for many years. Thats because we all believe deeply in the vision of ORGANIC FOOD BAR.

We pride ourselves in producing the best food bars in the world, and we work tirelessly to achieve that every day. Although, most of the time, it doesnt feel like work. We love what we do, and we believe in the mission here. Interesting, isnt it that when you truly love your work, its rarely a struggle to do it?

We travel the world to source the finest ingredients to handcraft ORGANIC FOOD BAR products. All of our ingredients are certified organic (USDA & EEC 2091/2092) and kosher, and they are purchased fresh every month. We make our ORGANIC FOOD BARS with lots of love right here in our certified organic facility.

Organic Food Bar products are made in a SOLAR powered facility that is GMP, Organic, Gluten Free and Kosher certified. All of Organic Food Bar products are now nonGMO project verified.

The bottom line at ORGANIC FOOD BAR is that we focus on three simple things: our people, our product and our customers.

By working with the best people, who genuinely enjoy their time here, we can produce the best product for you.

From our family to yours, ORGANIC FOOD BAR. Its whats inside that counts.

Dr. Jack J. Singh is the founder and President ORGANIC FOOD BAR, the finest quality and best-selling organic and raw bars in the world. Were #1 for a reason: ORGANIC FOOD BAR launched intrepidly years ago before any other organic barbefore organics were widely accepted as a better alternative to conventionally grown foods. We printed the benefits of raw foods on the front of our 70100% raw bar. It was substantially higher in price than the bars of its day. We were, and remain, a pioneer in the industry and we helped pave the way for many organic and raw food entrepreneurs. We are the original and remain the best in terms of quality, taste and value!

Dr. Jack J. Singh, N.D., H.M.D

Indian born Jack J. Singh, N.D., H.M.D. is a board certified naturopathic physician, homeopathic medical doctor and expert nutritionist with over thirty years of experience. He is the founder and CEO of ORGANIC FOOD BAR, Inc., makers of the best-selling organic nutrition bar in the world. He has designed food bars specifically for vegetarians, vegans and children with better nutritional needs and food allergies.

Dr. Singh received his board certification in naturopathic medicine from Naturopathic Medical Association in Washington DC and his Doctorate of Homeopathy from the Hahnemann College of Homeopathy.

Dr. Singh combined experience and expertise in Naturopathic, Homeopathic and Avurvedic disciplines to help children and adults make more informed decisions about how they eat.

I have over three generations of experience in nutrition, combining anecdotal and scientific data with the goal of helping children and adults eat better. I have been eating organic food as far back as I can remember. I was the only 8 year old and knew the names of most homeopathic medicines!

Dr. Singh founded ORGANIC FOOD BAR, Inc. when he came to learn that, increasingly, many preventable ailments in America and most of western world are the result of poor nutrition. He set out to create a bar of unparalleled quality and taste to help people lead healthier lives in a time when they need that most.

In the U.S., there seems to be an inverse relationship between medical advancements and preventable disease. We know more than ever yet we are in worse physical shape than ever. Much of that stems from an over-consumption of processed foods. That is why my heart rests with helping families eat in a more wholesome and practical way.

As Chief Executive Office of ORGANIC FOOD BAR, Inc., Dr. Singh recently co-developed healthy food that meets the most rigorous nutritional guidelines set for food sold on school campuses.

I believe children are our future and that is one reason why I believe so deeply in sustainability and organics. We must make our planet healthier and cleaner for ourselves and for our most precious assets: our children. That is what I have dedicated my life to.

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Organic Food Bar | About Us

Innovative products in the organic sector are continuing to contribute to its growth in 2017, as non-dairy milks, nutty butters and confectionery join traditional recipe snacks.

According to the Soil Association, innovation coupled with market demand mean that organic products are now available in over 8,000 outlets in the UK including all major retailers as well as online.

There is a huge variety of interesting products coming to market, from nut butters and milks to seaweed, said the Associations business development director, Clare McDermott.

Shoppers are looking for new and interesting food trends and organic is well placed to deliver these.

Brands like Rebel Kitchen and Plenish are highlighting the benefits of non-dairy milks, tapping into growing demand in the alternative protein space. Plant-based protein products are often viewed as healthier and better for the environment.

Clearspring, on the other hand, nowoffers UK consumers healthy snacks featuring traditional Japanese and Nordic recipes.Its use of Japanese and European foods and ingredients that are vegetarian and vegan-friendly appear to resonate with the organic consumer, who is also drawn to the companys use of environmentally sustainable and non-GM ingredients.

The Raw Chocolate Company are also getting in on the act with products rooted to simple, transparent recipes.

By using raw food materials like cacao beans and cacao butter, plus sugar alternatives like coconut sugar, lucuma or xylitol, the company have looked to strengthed its organic credentials amongst a consumer base that is largely made up of a new generation of shopper.

The continued growth is driven widely by younger consumers, with the 24 44 age group being the most committed to buying organic, said the Association.

Shoppers are increasingly seeking out healthy food, as reflected in booming sales of organic produce, up by 7.4%.

The rise in organic sales is in line with heightened consumer awareness and interest in wellbeing, with more health-conscious consumers making nutritious food choices including smoothies, salads, fresh dairy and cereals, as well as the desire to try new products.

Key growth areas of organic in the 52 weeks to 1 July 2017 include spreads and preserves, including nut butters (+21%) and fruit (+12.6%). Tomatosales were up by 13.1% and bananas marked the highest growth of any food and drink product in the organic sector with sales soaring by over 25.5%.

Meanwhile, confectionery and soft drinks (+8.3%) made solid gains, alongside salads (+7.9%) and cereals (+6.5%). Dairy, the largest market sector for organic, grew 1.25% overall. Butter attained growth figures of 9.2% and milk sales rose by 2.9%.

The other major trend is health and consumers will often see organic as a short cut to health, particularly with the nutritional research published by Newcastle University supporting this, added McDermott.

Health places high on the agenda for organic consumers, who may also be parents. In discussing the introduction of organic-based foods to children, McDermott said that baby food has always had the highest penetration of all organic categories.

Research that we carried out last year showed a key demographic to be Caring Parents who want to do the best for their families but are aware that they do not control everything that children eat.

Eating outside the home plays an increasing role and parents will actively look for organic and healthy options on menus; our Out to Lunch campaign looked at the quality of food served in visitor attractions.

With figures showing that 82% of UK shoppers purchasing at least one organic item per year, up from 79.5% in 2016, the onus is now on supermarkets to satisfy this demand and become the first port of call for consumers, who are increasingly interested in their foods origins and production methods, the sector body suggested.

"Organic fruit is very popular at Waitrose, with blueberries being one of our top selling organic products, appealing to those who are searching out healthy options, saidKate Gibbs, brand manager at Waitrose.

We are also seeing significant increases in sales of other fruits such as raspberries and apricots. We also find fish and other lean proteins to be examples of the growth in organic within the segment of consumers who are focused on health and wellbeing."

With Waitrose amongst the supermarkets offering an increasingly diverse range of organic produce, smaller and budget retailers have also begun introducing an organic offering designed to appeal to the cost-conscious consumer.

As McDermott points out, many items and brands are offered at the same price point as non-organic products available in outlets including all the discounters like Aldi, Lidl and Costco.

Alongside the discounters, e-commerce represents a high-growth channel for organic suppliers in the UK.Home delivery is one of the fastest-growing channels for consumers to buy organic, with much growth in the UK being led by Ocado and box schemes,said McDermott.As per our market report, growth was 10.5% and Ocado sales grew 16% in 2016.

McDermott expects online sales to continue to grow apace.Home Delivery will only grow for organic as it offers a wider choice of products and more direct access toproducer,she predicted.

In particular, the news that Amazon is to buy US natural food retailer Whole Foods Market for 11.7bn (10.7bn) could have some significant implications for British organic e-commerce sales.

Whole Foods has a small physical retail presence in the UK, where it operates five stores, but it is anticipated that Amazon will extend Whole Foods' branded presence - which focuses on natural and organic items - via its Amazon Fresh platform.

Amazon Fresh has generated a lot of interest in the areas that it has launched and included many organic brands," McDermott suggested.Amazon buying Wholefoods will help this growth as Wholefoods already offer a significant number of organic brands andproduceand this will make it more widely available.

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Innovation, health & home delivery: Drivers for organic food growth ... - FoodNavigator.com

Succinct organic foods market analysis?

Sectoral insights?

Clear competitor analysis?

Actionable business recommendations?

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Read On To Discover How This Definitive Report Can Transform Your Own Research And Save You Time.

Many factors contribute to the growth of the global organic foods market. Demand is increasing among the increasingly health-conscious population around the world who perceive and believe organic foods to be healthier, better tasting, more nutritious and better for the environment, despite the scientific evidence for these claims being inconclusive. Nevertheless, retailers and food service outlets are catering to this trend with new product launches resulting in growing availability of organic food as more shelf space is allotted to these products in retail chains. In parallel to this, marketing activities are being implemented by major brands to create more awareness about organic products.

However, despite a considerable number of growth drivers, the organic foods market faces challenges that could impede market growth over the coming years. One of the main challenges is the relatively high price of organic foods. Nonetheless Visiongain assesses that the global organic foods market will reach $103 billion in spending in 2017 with a promising growth trajectory.

Report Highlights

90+ Quantitative Tables, Charts, And Graphs

Analysis Of Key Players In Organic Foods

Amy's Kitchen

Arla Foods

Aurora Organic Dairy

Campbell Soup Company

Cargill

Cliff Bar & Company

Conagra Brands

Dean Foods

Dole Foods Company

Eden Foods

General Mills

HiPP

Nature's Path Foods

Nature's SunGrown Foods

Newman's Own

Organic Valley

Perdue Farms

SunOpta

The JM Smucker Company

WhiteWave Foods

Global Organic Foods Market Outlook And Analysis From 2017-2027

Organic Foods Type Projections, Analysis And Potential From 2017-2027

Fruits & Vegetables Organic Foods Forecast 2017-2027

Bakery & Confectionary Organic Foods Forecast 2017-2027

Dairy & Frozen Desserts Organic Foods Forecast 2017-2027

Packaged Grocery Organic Foods Forecast 2017-2027

Meat, Fish, & Poultry Organic Foods Forecast 2017-2027

Other Organic Foods Forecast 2017-2027

Organic Foods Market Outlook Report 2017-2027

Organic Foods Channel Forecasts And Analysis From 2017-2027

Food Retail Organic Foods Forecast 2017-2027

Food Service Organic Foods Forecast 2017-2027

Regional Organic Foods Market Forecast From 2017-2027

North America Organic Foods Market Forecast 2017-2027

US Organic Foods Forecast 2017-2027

Canada Organic Foods Forecast 2017-2027

Asia Pacific Organic Foods Market Forecast 2017-2027

China Organic Foods Forecast 2017-2027

Japan Organic Foods Forecast 2017-2027

India Organic Foods Forecast 2017-2027

Australia - New Zealand Organic Foods Forecast 2017-2027

Europe Organic Foods Market Forecast 2017-2027

Germany Organic Foods Forecast 2017-2027

UK Organic Food Forecast 2017-2027

France Organic Foods Forecast 2017-2027

Italy Organic Foods Forecast 2017-2027

Spain Organic Foods Forecast 2017-2027

Rest of the World (RoW) Organic Foods Market Forecast 2017-2027

Brazil Organic Foods Forecast 2017-2027

South Organic Foods Forecast 2017-2027

Key Questions Answered

How is the Organic Foods market evolving?

What is driving and restraining the Organic Foods market dynamics?

What are the market shares of the Organic Foods submarkets in 2017?

How will each Organic Foods submarket segment grow over the forecast period and how much revenue will these submarkets account for in 2027?

What will be the main driver for the overall market from 2017-2027?

How will political and regulatory factors influence the regional and national markets and submarkets?

How will the market shares of the regional and national markets change by 2027 and which geographical region will lead the market in 2027?

Who are the leading players and what are their prospects over the forecast period?

Target Audience

Organic food companies

Food manufacturers

Ingredient suppliers

Food wholesalers

Food distributors

Food retailers

Food technologists

Food scientists

Consultants

Market analysts

CEO's

CIO's

COO's

Business development managers

Investors

Governments agencies

Industry organisations

Regulators

Associations

Banks

To request a report overview of this report please email Sara Peerun at sara.peerun@visiongain.com or call Tel: +44-(0)-20-7336-6100

Or click on https://www.visiongain.com/Report/1962/Organic-Foods-Market-Outlook-Report-2017-2027

Companies Mentioned

Ahold

Albert's Organic Inc

Alnatura

Amy's Kitchen Inc.

Arla Foods

ArNoCo GmbH & Co. KG

Originally posted here:

Organic Foods Market Outlook Report 2017-2027 - PR Newswire - PR Newswire (press release)

M

ove over, low-fat diets. More and more experts are recommending plant-based diets to reduce the risk of heart disease and other chronic conditions such as diabetes and cancer. But are all plant-based diets equally beneficial? And must they be all-or-none eating strategies, or is there a role for a semi-vegetarian or flexitarian approach?

The term plant-based diet often conjures up images of vegetarian or vegan fare. But it really means a diet that emphasizes foods from plants vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, seeds, and the like not one that necessarily excludes non-plant foods.

The results of studies on the health effects of plant-based diets have varied widely, largely due to how these diets were defined. Some focused on vegetarian or vegan eating habits, others included some foods from animals. Notably, these studies tended to treat all plant foods equally, even though eating certain foods from plants, such as refined grains and sugar-sweetened beverages, is associated with a higher risk of developing diabetes or having a heart attack or stroke, while eating whole grains and produce are associated with lower risks.

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Thats why we were so interested to see the results of a recently published study performed by researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Led by Ambika Satija, the team catalogued the diets of nearly 210,000 nurses and other health professionals based on their answers to food frequency questionnaires every two years for an average of 23 years. From these data, the researchers defined three versions of a plant-based diet: an overall plant-based diet that emphasizes the consumption of all plant foods and reduced the intake of animal foods; a healthful plant-based diet that emphasizes the intake of healthy whole grains, fruits, and vegetables; and an unhealthful plant-based diet that emphasizes the intake of less-healthy plant foods, such as refined grains.

In addition to detailing their food choices, the study participants also recorded other lifestyle choices, health behaviors, and their medical histories.

Over the course of the study, 8,631 participants developed coronary heart disease, which the researchers defined as a nonfatal heart attack or dying of heart disease. Those who followed an overall plant-based diet were slightly less likely (an 8 percent reduction) to have developed coronary heart disease than those who didnt.

But heres where things get interesting. Those who followed a healthful plant-based diet had a substantial 25 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease, while those who followed an unhealthful plant-based diet had a substantial 32 percent increased risk.

This study is certainly not the last word on the subject. As an observational study, it cant prove cause and effect like a randomized trial can. And the diet data came from self reports, which arent always accurate at measuring an individuals diet. However, these diet assessments were validated against multiple-week diet records and biomarkers. Overall, this work adds to the substantial evidence that a predominately plant-based diet reduces the risk of developing heart disease.

It has two important take-home messages. One is that a plant-based diet is good for long-term health. The other is that not all plant-based diets are equally healthy. The kind that deserves to be highlighted in dietary recommendations is rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and unsaturated fats, and contains minimal animal protein, refined carbohydrates, and harmful saturated and trans fats.

In practice, this translates into eating mostly vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, and soy products in their natural forms; sufficient good fats, such as those in fish or flax seeds, nuts, and other seeds; very few simple and refined carbohydrates; and little or no red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy. It also means choosing quality over quantity.

As we wrote in a commentary on the Harvard study, just as physical activity is a continuum some activity is better than none, and more is better so is diet. For anyone following a traditional American diet, heavy on the meat, its easier to make a change by starting with small dietary tweaks instead of embracing a precipitous shift to a vegetarian or vegan diet. Try the elimination game: cut out red meat from your diet then, after a couple weeks, eliminate other types of meat; and then do the same with dairy foods and eggs. Or try the Meatless Monday approach dont eat meat on Monday then gradually add more meatless days each week. No matter what approach you take to cutting out foods, try to add one or more new plant-based recipes to your cooking repertoire every week.

What you stand to gain is so much more than what you would give up.

Hena Patel, M.D., is a cardiology fellow and Kim Allan Williams Sr., M.D., is chief of the division of cardiology at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

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Not all vegan or plant-based diets are equally healthy - STAT