Organic Produce - More Dollars, but Does it Make Sense?

Maneuver your cart through any grocery store produce department, and you'll probably be forced to decide – apples, the old fashioned way? Or pay more for organic? According to research, this modern day parenting dilemma probably isn't going away. Consumer Reports expects the US market for organic foods to double by 2009.

A registered dietitian from Children's Medical Center shares her insight into the all-natural food craze and helps parents decide for themselves whether to pay more green for their groceries.

"Organic foods are more labor intensive and organic farmers aren't subsidized by the government, which likely means higher price tags," says Hilary Underwood, a registered dietitian at Children's. "But, organic foods are held to more stringent standards, meaning they have to pass more tests and obey more laws in production, processing, and handling."

So, are organic foods healthier?

"Some parents worry that unless they're buying organic produce, they're not providing their kids with healthy food," said Underwood. "Luckily, that's just not the case. All fruits and vegetables are healthy."

Underwood explained that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates safety standards of the use of pesticides in conventional produce. She says parents can take comfort in knowing that many pesticides have been tested at much higher levels of exposure than a child may eat in a piece of fruit.

Fruits and vegetables, like sweet corn, onions, asparagus, sweet peas, cabbage, broccoli, avocados, pineapple, mango, kiwi, papaya expose individuals to fewer pesticides – two or less in most cases.

"In my opinion there is a less compelling reason to spend more on the organic version of these fruits and vegetables," says Underwood.

There are 12 fruits and vegetables that contain the highest pesticide content. They're still deemed safe by the EPA, but eating one of each would expose a person to 15 different pesticides at higher percentages than other foods.

So, if you're planning to buy some conventional and some organic produce, Underwood recommends that you splurge on organic apples, bell peppers, celery, cherries, grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, red raspberries, spinach, and strawberries - the produce that has the highest number and percentage of pesticides.

"But don't fret if organic isn't in your budget," says Underwood. "As long as your kids are eating the recommended five to seven servings of fruits and veggies each day, you're doing great! You can always decrease the amount of exposure to pesticides by washing your produce. And when you buy fruits or vegetables with more pesticides, consider pealing the produce."

At this time, there is no scientific evidence to suggest that the traces of pesticides found in conventional produce will harm your child in the long run, though it never hurts to minimize your child's exposure to pesticides. But the bottom line: don't feel like a bad parent if you don't or can't buy organic.

Tags: health