What’s the Difference Between Natural, Non-GMO and Organic Nut Products?

Posted on : April 28th, 2017

couple reading food label in grocery storeAn old adage says to not to judge a book by its cover, but when it comes to health foods, labels are important. Through labels, we obtain vital information about what we are putting into our bodies. Since we only get one body in this lifetime, we need to take good care of it! However, some of these labels can be misleading about what’s in store. Sometimes these labels claim that you’re getting a wholesome product, but they aren’t telling the full story. As a result, many shoppers may be misled by terms that they see floating around the health foods aisle.

When it comes to nut products, these three labels typically circulate:

  • Organic
  • Natural
  • Non-GMO

What do these labels specifically mean and why is it important to choose organic over natural and non-GMO labels? In this post, we will explain why organic is best by uncovering what these three titles reveal about what’s really in your nut products.

Natural

This one can be a shocker to any shopper who is new to selecting wholesome foods. “Natural” actually doesn’t guarantee that your food is free of additives. In fact, the label “natural” is not formulated by the FDA or USDA- which means that the manufacturer can place the word “natural” on any of their products without needing to pass certain criteria. Oftentimes, “natural” can merely suggest the absence of some synthetic flavors or colors, but there’s no absolute guarantee.

At Maisie Jane’s, we assure you that “all natural” means no chemicals, no synthetics, and nothing from a lab. Those practices are founded on our ethics rather than the law. Not all companies share our ethics. That’s why it’s important to find brands you can trust.

Non-GMO

When you get serious about avoiding artificial ingredients, you soon learn that genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, are to be avoided. Thankfully, almonds are naturally non-GMO, so you won’t need to worry about this ingredient when you select our organic nut butter. Still, it’s important to explain what this label means so that you can make fully-informed food purchasing choices.

When people see a “non-GMO” label, they can discern that the product doesn’t contain any genetically modified ingredients. This is a good thing, but at the same time, this label conceals some important information. Some non-GMO crops are technically NOT organic, meaning that they can be grown alongside other conventional crops that are treated with pesticides. This means that non-GMO crops can be exposed to harmful pesticides and chemicals.

Maisie Jane’s almonds are cultivated using traditional agricultural techniques and grown without the use of genetic engineering or genetic manipulation.

Beyond our own growing, the secondary ingredients that Maisie Jane’s sources and buys from other growers do not contain gene-spliced bio-engineered organisms and are free of genetically modified DNA. We require documentation that meets these standards from every vendor we partner with.

Organic

This is the only label that guarantees that your food is grown without harmful pesticides, herbicides, chemical NPK fertilizers, antibiotics, or growth hormones. Food can only pass under this label after their processors pass certified inspections to ensure that they have been made without any artificial methods. In fact, “organic” means that your food is not only non-GMO, but your food is truly chemical and additive-free.

Organic food is truly natural because it’s free from chemical-laden growth and harvesting techniques. “Organic” is also a label that is rigorously regulated by the FDA, meaning that organic products that you see in the store have passed strict criteria. Therefore, if you are looking for a healthy, wholesome snack that is completely free from any artificial harvesting or growth methods, then grab a jar of our organic nut butters!

When it comes to your health, you want to eat the best food. Why settle for just one good attribute when you can have an entirely wholesome food that contains no harsh chemicals or byproducts that can damage your body? Organic is the truly natural choice that contains no GMOs, as well as other artificial components that harm your body.

It’s important to mention the distinction between Maisie Jane’s natural nut butters and organic nut butters. All our nut butters contain nuthin’ but nuts, but the components of our certified organic goods are carefully produced and stored separately from our natural products. We are inspected annually by CCOF, recognized as an organic certifying authority by the USDA Organic standards.

Order Your Organic Nut Butter Online!

Maisie Jane’s California Sunshine Products, Inc. was founded on strong beliefs and passion for offering unique, flavorful, top-quality, nut products. We strongly believe in earth-friendly practices that start on our family owned and operated orchards. We use Organic farming practices and continue in the process by using all natural ingredients with no preservatives or GMOs. We believe in honest, friendly and helpful customer relations at all levels. We take pride in every task, every day, with every person.