Our training and race reviews are a bit thin as we have not been very active at races of late, though Sonya gives her review of the version of Unshoe racing flats she is using now.

Ingredient of the week this week is Cashews a very versatile nut with lots of uses in the kitchen.

The topic we discuss this week is The distinction between Organics and natural.

With the vast number of symbols, certifications and labels it can be difficult to understand.

How do we as consumers really understand the similarities and differences between organics or Natural

What are the differences

Is there Similar qualities? how do you think about organics or Natural, as a consumer it will depend on the different levels of knowledge regarding organics or Natural .

The buying decision will be driven by different consumption patterns and should be made on factors ranging from price and comparability to authenticity and any environmental impact.

With a minimal involvement in the world of organics the distinctions between organics or natural can make the buying decision difficult and that is what part of the message here is about It does not have to be difficult to have a healthy lifestyle.

The most common confusion is the origin versus attributes, related to production and processing.

“Organic†is seen at to be what happens to food at origin (e.g., the farm, the plant, the animal), while“natural†can be described as to what happens (or doesn’t)in terms of production and processing after the farm gate.

Generally the use the term “organic” can relate to farming practices the simplest form organic means “grown without pesticides.â€

Absence of pesticides, is the one large distinction, organic can also mean a variety of other things.

Organic is also understood to indicate an absence of herbicides, synthetic fertilizers, hormones and antibiotics as well as genetically modified foods.This is all connected with the growing process and are applied to whole foods (e.g., fruits, vegetables, grains, meat, etc.). These properties are strongly associated to mean organic than as to natural.

When you are looking to an ideal of natural that would mean that the food and beverages you buy are healthy, whole, real, and minimally processed.The term ” natural” can be understood to be what happens to the food after it is grown, by referring to the introduction or absence of processing steps.

The perception is “No artificial colors, flavors or preservatives†has more to do with natural than with organic distinction.

This again is the perception about the term natural being connected to production and processing.

While you can associate “natural†with an ideal of minimal processing, it does not mean that the word “natural†ensures that foods and beverages live up to the definition you may seek.

Natural means wanting less processed,natural products to be healthy. unfortunately there are many products out there labeled natural that are clearly not a healthy choice.

All products labeled natural,that are high in fat, sugar and/or sodium should be understood as being unnatural, regardless of the words on the package.

A Healthy choice should be a product with a short, recognizable ingredient list with nothing artificial, no preservatives, additives or fillers.

The closer you can get to having your food nutrition come from a place that has minimal additives and maximal impact for sustainable agriculture the better off we all will be.

I have behind production time again as the technical gremlins still plague me, though it is getting better.

If you have been following along for a while you will have seen how the blog design has changed.

This is not what I want to end up with, it is something I had to throw up to get the site to work, I will be working to get the design easier to navigate.

As alway thanks for reading or listening please head over to the Facebook site for a connection or as you would see in the sidebar connect up with the Mindfulness conversation through the Google + link.