Are organic foods healthier than non-organic? Do they give you more strength and energy?

Organic foods are not more nutritious, nor do they provide more strength or energy. Their nutrient profile is identical to non-organic foods. The main benefit of organic foods is that they have not been grown with chemical fertilizers or pesticides, which make them better for the environment.

Although chemical fertilizers or pesticides sound scary, the amount of residue they add to food is very low. Personally, I don't consider pesticides a risk factor - as long as I'm eating a healthy diet and washing my produce. However, there are some foods that tend to have higher pesticide residues. In this case, it may be best to buy organic just to be safe. These foods include: strawberries, bell peppers, spinach, U.S. cherries, peaches, Mexican cantaloupe, celery, apples, apricots, green beans, Chilean grapes, and cucumbers.

For more information on whether you should be eating organic food see the following article from TheDietChannel: Organic Food: Is Organic Food Really Better Than Non-Organic?

For information on whether you should feed organic food to your children see the following article from TheDietChannel: Organic Foods and Children.

For more information on foods with higher pesticide residues see the following article from TheDietChannel: Organic Food: Important for Cancer Patients?

Erin Dummert RD, CD Contributing Expert

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