USDA Certified Organic

You can hardly browse a supermarket aisle, a restaurant menu or recipe collection without seeing the word organic flagrantly displayed. From meats and dairy to vegetables and herbs, organic is readily available, and we know (or we're told) it's important. But what does it mean?

In the U.S., food products must undergo a certification process to earn the "USDA Certified Organic" label, which deems the product is at least 95 percent organic. The core requirement involves the avoidance of most food additives (preservatives, flavoring) and artificial methods (synthetic pesticides, genetic modification). Additionally, producers must maintain a paper trail of production procedures and undergo periodic on-site inspections.

Buying organic offers consumers a greater peace of mind, delivering foods in their purer forms and knowing exactly what goes into what we eat. At foodspring.com, we seek out quality foods—and organic is a key factor in some of the best ingredients the producers we highlight strive to use. Learn how to make your diet more organic by checking out our coverage of organic food and trends, including: NASFT sofi™ Award–winning Fair Trade organic tea makers Partners Tea Co. organic options for your kids’ lunch box. Even food truck vendors incorporate organic ingredients in their on-the-go grub. Or simply swap the ingredients of your favorite recipes for their organic counterparts.

Video: Top 3 Organic Foods

foodspring.com's editors combed the 2010 Summer Fancy Food Show in New York to find their top picks for USDA Certified Organic products. Watch the video below to see what they found.