Label Busters

By Bellevue Club Wellness Director, Wendy Caamano

Myth: If the food label claim says “organic” then the product must be “100 percent organic."

Not true! The only time a product is 100 percent organic is if the product claim actually says "100 percent organic" on the front of the package. This means the product has completely organic ingredients by weight. An organic sticker on fresh fruit and vegetables will also mean 100 percent organic. 

Label claims can be tricky to understand, so here is a little more information: If the label claim displays the USDA logo then at least 95 percent of the product is organic by weight; if the label claim lists one or more organic ingredients on the front of the package, for example, “Contains organic tomatoes,” this means at least 70 percent of the product is organic ingredients by weight; lastly, if organic ingredients are listed on the side or back of a package this means that less than 70 percent of the ingredients by weight are organic, but it will still contain those listed organic ingredients.  

So, next time you are looking for a product that is wxlusively organic make sure the label claim actually says 100 percent organic on the front of the package!

Myth: Brown eggs are better for you than white eggs.

Actually brown eggs are not better for you than white eggs; they just come from a different breed of chickens. Both brown eggs and white eggs are a great source of protein and are low in calories. They contain about the same amount of fat, vitamins and minerals. Brown eggs do not offer any health benefits compared with white eggs. If you are concerned with antibiotics, growth hormones or animal welfare, you may want to buy certified organic, free-range eggs. You can even find eggs that are fortified with heart healthy omega-3’s.