Choosing responsible food brands affects your health: your body, your community, your world
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What is a responsible food brand?
The benefits of choosing responsible food brands
How to find responsible food brands
Not all food brands are created equal, and some of them are much better for your health than others. By choosing to shop with companies making a difference, you’re not only doing your body a favor, but you’re also supporting sustainable farming practices and helping to preserve our planet’s resources.
But it’s more than that: when you buy from responsible food brands, you can be sure that you’re getting quality ingredients that were sustainably sourced. These companies often use organic ingredients and practice fair trade, meaning that farmers and workers are paid fairly for their labor. This allows them to provide their families with a good standard of living, which in turn helps to reduce poverty and improve the quality of life for everyone involved.
So not only is choosing responsible food brands good for your health, but it’s also good for the world around you. So relax, shrug on your certified organic cotton sweater (I see you sporting your sustainable fashion) and let’s dive in to the why and how of shopping responsibly.
What is a responsible food brand?
A responsible food brand is one that is mindful of the environmental and social impact of its products and its influence. It follows sustainable farming practices, recycles and composts as much as possible, and uses renewable resources whenever possible. It also takes care to ensure that its products are safe and healthy for consumers.
There are a number of certification programs that responsible food brands can pursue, including USDA Organic, Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance, and Certified Humane. These programs ensure that the products meet certain environmental and social standards, and they come with the assurance that you’re buying a product you can feel good about.
The benefits of choosing responsible food brands
When it comes to your health, choosing responsible food brands is absolutely essential. By opting for brands that prioritize sustainability and environmental responsibility, you’re doing your life a huge favor. Here are just a few of the benefits of choosing responsible food brands:
1. You’ll be eating healthier organic foods.
Why? Because sustainable and organic food and organic cotton is typically much fresher and free of harmful chemicals, which is good news for human beings.
These brands go through an extensive certification process and must meet specific standards in order to be labeled as organic produce. This means that you can trust that the food is safe to consume and free of harmful toxins. Also, brands that go the extra mile in their production often times use higher quality ingredients. This means that you’ll be getting more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants from your food.
2. You’ll be supporting sustainable farming practices.
Organic agriculture is better for the environment, as it doesn’t rely on harmful pesticides and other chemicals. Sustainable farming also conserves water and soil, which is essential for a healthy planet. This means that by choosing responsible food brands, you’re helping to preserve our planet’s resources.
3. You’ll be reducing your exposure to harmful chemicals.
Many conventional foods are laden with harmful chemicals, such as pesticides, growth hormones, and antibiotics. By choosing responsible food brands that avoid these chemicals, you can help to protect your health.
Exposure to toxins has been linked to a number of serious health problems, including cancer, reproductive issues, and endocrine disruption. So by choosing organic foods and products, you can help reduce your exposure to these harmful chemicals.
4. You’ll be helping to preserve our planet’s resources.
Sustainable food production methods use less water and energy and generate less waste. So, by choosing responsible food brands, you’re playing a part in preserving our planet’s resources.
5. You’ll be supporting fair trade practices.
Many responsible food brands are committed to fair trade practices, which means that workers in developing countries are paid a fair wage for their work. This helps to ensure that farmers and other workers involved in the food supply chain can support their families and improve their standard of living.
How to find responsible food brands
It can be tough to know which food brands are responsible and which ones aren’t. But there are a few ways that you can make sure you’re getting the most responsible options possible.
1. Certified organic, organic farming practices, and other certifications
Certified Organic
The first thing you can do is look for food brands that are organic. Organic certification is a rigorous process that ensures that foods are cultivated with organic farming, grown without the use of synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, favoring natural pesticides instead. So when you see the organic label on a food product, you can be confident that it’s free of harmful chemicals.
Fair Trade Certified
Another way to find responsible food brands is to look for those that are Fair Trade certified. Fair Trade certification means that farmers and workers are paid fair wages, work in safe conditions, and have the opportunity to improve their lives and communities. When you buy Fair Trade certified products, you can be sure that the people who made them were treated fairly throughout the entire process.
Rain Forest Alliance
You can also look for food brands that are environmentally responsible who use sustainable materials and adhere to sustainable practices. These brands often use sustainable farming practices, such as using less water or relying on renewable energy sources. They also often package their products in more environmentally friendly ways, such as using recycled materials.
Certified Humane
Finally, you can look for food brands that are certified humane. This certification means that the animals used in the production of the food were raised in humane conditions and were not subjected to growth hormones or any unnecessary suffering.
2. Read labels carefully
When you’re shopping for food, it’s important to take the time to read the food labels carefully. This will help you to make sure that you’re getting exactly what you’re looking for.
In general, you should look for foods that are made with simple, natural ingredients. And if you’re unsure about an ingredient, it’s always best to err on the side of caution and choose a different product. Basically, the shorter the ingredient list, the higher the quality.
Companies who give back
Obviously, there are a lot of companies to shop out there. And our first recommendation is to take our tricks above to shop for local food at grocers near you . Start by supporting eco-friendly brands looking to make a positive impact. But we don’t want you to leave without feeling supported with some ideas. So, here is a short list of some of our favorite food brands:
Organic Valley
Why do we love shopping at Organic Valley? They are a farmer-owned cooperative that is committed to sustainable and organic agriculture and use organic farming practices. All of their products are organic, and they offer a wide variety of dairy, meat, and egg products for both human and environmental health.
Nature’s Path
Nature’s Path is another great option for responsible food shopping. They are a certified B Corp, which means they meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance. They are also an organic company, and they offer a wide variety of breakfast cereals, granola bars, and other snacks that are perfect for on-the-go eating.
Horizon
Horizon is a great choice for parents who are looking for responsible food options for their kids. They offer milk, cheese, and yogurt that is all organic food. And they have a wide variety of products that are perfect for picky eaters. It’s nice to have healthy eating options for our pickiest eaters! What mom isn’t hoping to raise her child with the very best human health?
Annie’s
Annie’s is another excellent choice for those looking for responsible food brands. They are a certified B Corporation, and they offer a wide variety of organic pasta, crackers, snacks, and dressings. Their products are also made with simple ingredients that you can feel good about feeding your family.
Cascadian Farm
Cascadian Farm is a great choice for those looking for responsible food brands that offer a wide variety of organic fruits and vegetables. They are an organic company, and they offer a wide array of frozen and canned fruits and veggies that are perfect for busy families.
Applegate
Applegate is a great choice for those looking for responsible food brands that offer a wide variety of meat products. They are committed to humane animal husbandry, and they offer a wide array of chicken, beef, and pork products that are perfect for the whole family.
Niman Ranch
We love shopping Niman Ranch because they are a humane company. They work with over 700 family farmers and ranchers to raise their animals naturally. This results in better tasting, more nutritious meat and helps support these small farms. Niman Ranch never uses antibiotics, added hormones, or animal by-products in their feed. The animals have access to the outdoors and are never confined to cages.
Trader Joe’s
This one’s a good choice because they offer a wide variety of responsibly sourced food options, including a large selection of organic products. They also have a commitment to transparency, and they offer a wide variety of affordable food options that are perfect for families on a budget.
Whole Foods Market
And that brings us to Whole Foods: the behemoth of responsible food brands. They offer a wide range of organic and responsibly sourced food options, including a large selection of animal products that are raised according to high standards of animal welfare. This is one place you’ll never feel out of place sporting your organic cotton, sustainable clothing to shop at your leisure.
Dig in!
By choosing responsible food brands, you’re not only doing your body a favor, but you’re also supporting sustainable farming practices and helping to preserve our planet’s resources. You’re making the commitment to treat the planet the same way you would treat your body.
Support eco-friendly, sustainable brands looking to make a major impact. They’re working hard to decrease their carbon footprint and make a better world in their local community. That’s a win/win!
The bottom line is that choosing responsible food brands is important for your health and the health of our planet. So next time you’re at the grocery store, be sure to look for brands that are organic, Fair Trade, or otherwise environmentally and socially responsible. It’s brands like this that have your well being in mind. Your body-and the world-will thank you for it.