The aspects of food that have become important to know and understand

People have certainly developed as a species and are no longer simply eating to survive. The human race has a whole new relationship and understanding of food and the food chains and webs that bring this food to their plates. Here are the aspects of food and its production that have become critical for consumers to know and understand.

Origin and provenance

Asking where the food came from or expecting to see this provenance information on the packaging has become the norm for all consumers. The provenance will be where the product was shipped or transported from to you, and the origin is actually where it comes from. Knowing all this is critical to avoid buying or eating those food products that are causing harm to the environment or unnecessarily depleting natural resources. This is called transparent supply and must be the nature of the products that you choose to buy.

The level of ‘organic-ness’

As consumers, it is important to know whether a food product is organic or not. You will need to understand what organic is and then have a position on whether or not you want to buy organic food before you consider eating or buying it. True organics cannot have been genetically modified, and nor can non-organic/chemical fertilizers be used to grow and nurture the crop. It would thus require that Certified Organics by agrichem.com.au would have been used to fertilize the crop. Always read the label carefully.

Calories and actual nutritional value

It would be best if you asked or looked for information on the nutritional value of the foods that you choose to eat. Especially processed foods that can contain huge amounts of sugars and salts. It is now essential that these details are on the packaging and it is clearly stated how many calories the meal is. This is more difficult when eating at home, but even raw meat and veg will have some detail on the packaging as to what you’re about to put in your body.

The costs

Yes, how much money the food you eat costs is important and can affect your household budget substantially. You need to keep an eye on the prices and look to see how you can use the same ingredients or eat the same food but in a healthier, cheaper manner. Then there are also the other costs associated with the food you eat. Some of the simple asks are:

• How much water does it need to be grown/produced?
• Who works or labors in the fields?
• What is the packaging like?

All these questions will determine the additional costs that the food you choose to eat may have on society and the environment.

The advice then is to be as informed as possible and then make the conscious decision as to what you want to eat and why. It is the aspects above that you simply must know about the food you intend to eat. Knowing this will help you to make informed decisions about your food choices.