Sometimes, grocery shopping can be a frustrating and confusing process. This is because all of us want to buy the best products for our family. Nowadays, this became tough since we live in a world of GMO products and profit-hungry companies. However, it is difficult to detect which products are safe for consumption as well as the place where to find them.
Fortunately, there is a noticeable silver lining on the horizon.
The last decade has shown a slow but steady revolution in the consumers’ buying patterns, so organic and natural products started to trend heavily. In recent years, most of the conventional supermarkets focused more on the organic and chemical-free supply. So, for the one who cares about the quality of the food he consumes, this is good news.
One particular global chain, Aldi Supermarkets is making its way up the list of responsible food companies. They announced that they would enrich their supply with more organic food brands, remove all the artificial ingredients and pesticides from their products and introduce extra gluten-free products in order to attract more health-conscious consumers.
Meat Products
Aldi revealed that it would expand the organic meat supply that does not contain hormones, antibiotics, additives, and animal by-products. Princeton University stated that around 80% of the produced antibiotics in the U.S are given to farm animals. This promotes an increase of antibiotic-resistant bacteria strains due to this overuse of antibiotics. Such a serious health threat affects both animals and people.
Dairy Products
Aldi’s milk is free of artificial hormones, but it also removes them from sour cream, yogurt, cottage cheese, and other dairy products. One of the most commonly used hormones is “recombinant bovine growth hormone” or RBGH. This is a genetically modified synthetic hormone that stimulates increased production of milk when injected into cows. Despite scientists’ and consumers’ concerns, the FDA allows the injection of these hormones into cows.
Synthetic Colors and Food Dyes
Aldi has also removed all the synthetic colors from its private-label products. Food Matters claims that Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Red 40 are the most used food dyes which are contaminated with another harmful dye, Red 3. Although the FDA is aware that this is a harmful carcinogen, it is still in the food supply.
Partially Hydrogenated Oils
Aldi has removed partially hydrogenated oils from its private-label products which BanTransFats.com claimed to make the arteries more rigid, cause insulin resistance, cause clogging of arteries, contribute to type 2 diabetes and other serious health conditions.
MSG
Also, it has removed MSG from the private-label products. MSG can lead to flushing, headaches, sweating, tightness, facial pressure, tingling, numbness, heart palpitations, burning in the face, nausea, and chest pain.
Pesticides
By January 2017, Aldi banned the use of these pesticides:
- Chlorpyrifos
- Thiamethoxam
- Clothianidin
- Deltamethrin
- Cypermethrin
- Fipronil
- Sulfoxaflor
- Imidacloprid
Aldi can make some substantial changes to its shelves because around 90% of its stock is private-label (it’s own) so there are no other brands to navigate. So, Aldi can adjust the supply in order to suit consumer demand. There are 1,500 stores in the U.S and another 500 are about to open by 2018, so Aldi is making its way to the leading position in the American health supermarkets.
So, retailers such as Whole Foods Market has to compete with Aldi’s supply and its low prices. This is good news for the consumers because the supply of good quality food will increase as a result of the increased demand.
By the time, people got more educated about good quality foods, they change the way they spend their money and the multinational companies will begin to fulfill their needs. That’s why Food Matters has created FMTV in order to inform people that they have the power to change every particular situation when they come together.
According to Margaret Mead, a small group of committed and thoughtful citizens can change the world. So, it seems that people’s commitment to organic food is beginning to change the world, so keep striving for what you believe in.
Via Food Matters