Are The Benefits Of Eating Organic Food Worth The Cost?

In the age of super-strength pesticides and genetically modified foods, it is no surprise that foods claiming to take you back to the basics of nature are appealing. According to a 2010 studies review in "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," consumption of organic foods does reduce the amount of pesticides and toxins ingested, but there is not enough good evidence to suggest that consumption of organic foods really makes you any healthier.

Eating Local

The benefits of eating organic really comes down to safety, supporting the local economy, and knowing where your food comes from. You need to buy local organic to achieve all these goals. Many towns have farmers' markets on a semi-regular basis. Or, you can investigate local farmers who not only grow fruits and vegetables, but also raise farm animals for the retail market. Shopping through a local network of farmers will allow you to know exactly who has been handling your food and how it is cared for, from the ground to your kitchen.

When to Buy Organic

If you want to keep an eye on ingestion of chemicals and other toxins that might be lurking on your supermarket produce, use the list published by the Environmental Working Group, EWG. Based on scientific research, the EWG has found that certain fruits and vegetables tend to have higher levels of pesticide than others. For your safety and the health of your wallet, you can budget your organic purchases using these lists, known as "The Dirty Dozen" and "The Clean 15."

The Dirty Dozen

You should purchase organic strawberries, peaches, blueberries, nectarines, apples, sweet bell pepper, spinach, kale/collard greens, cherries, potatoes, grapes and celery because non-organic supplies of these foods have high pesticide levels, EWG says.

The Clean 15

On the other hand, fruits and vegetables that are less likely to be heavily treated with pesticides are non-organic onions, avocado, sweet corn, pineapples, sweet peas, asparagus, kiwi fruit, cabbage, eggplant, cantaloupe, watermelon, grapefruit, sweet potatoes, honeydew melon and mushrooms. You can buy them at a regular market and save some money.