This past weekend the Natural and Organic Food convention was held at the Anaheim Convention Center. Hundreds of companies came to showcase their products. Steve Rall, the Bon Appetit manager at Biola University, and myself were just two of the thousands that attended the conference.
This conference was based around natural and organic products. Each company had its own booth and each gave samples of their foods, beverages, ice creams and more for the buyers to sample. All of the products encompassed a natural and organic element, but some also catered to those with allergies. There were multiple products that were gluten- free, dairy-free and were made in an allergen-free factory.
Some of the companies that appeared at this conference were PopChips, which makes popped potato chips with multiple flavors; Hanson’s, which offered sodas and other naturally flavored beverages; Healthy Indulgence, which offered chocolate that offers vitamins, minerals, weight management solution, calcium and offers stress relief. They also advertised having Fair Trade products such as Dagoba Organic Chocolate and Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Sugar.
What many people do not realize is that organic and natural foods, though more expensive at times, have so many positive benefits. Organic.org states that the top reason to shop organic is to, “Reduce The Toxic Load: Keep Chemicals Out of the Air, Water, Soil and Our Bodies. Buying organic food promotes a less toxic environment for all living things. With only 0.5 percent of crop and pasture land in organic, according to USDA, that leaves 99.5 percent of farm acres in the United States at risk of exposure to noxious agricultural chemicals. Our bodies are the environment so supporting organic agriculture doesn’t just benefit your family, it helps all families live less toxically.”
All in all, shopping organic and natural helps the environment and your body. If you are interested in seeing more of the companies and products shown at the convention, go to http://www.expowest.com/ew10/public/enter.aspx/.
