Which Organic Foods are Best and Worth the Extra Money - According to Consumer Reports

January 12th 2006

Which is worth it?

Nearly two thirds of all consumers bought organic foods in 2005, even though they cost more than non organic foods. According to Consumer Reports not all Organic food is worth the extra money. Some are though.

The report found that fish is not worth the extra money. In an interview on KABC TV in Los Angeles Tracy Evans of the Whole Foods Markets said eating organic food will lessen the toxins in your system. She may be right. In a study published back in September 2005, researchers found that kids that ate conventional foods had detectable amounts of pesticide in their urine.

The study can be found on the National Institutes of Health website. In the study researchers measured the dietary organophosphorus pesticide exposure in a group of 23 elementary school-age children through urinary biomonitoring.

The children were divided in to two groups. The study lasted for 15 days but after just 5 days there was a striking difference in pesticide levels. In fact the pesticides levels in the children that ate convention (non-organic) food was 6 to 9 times higher than in the children that ate organic food.

The question is what organic foods give you the best results for keeping pesticide levels low. According to Consumer Reports the most important foods to buy organic are apples, baby food, bell peppers, celery, cherries, dairy, eggs, imported grapes, meat, nectarines, peaches, pears, poultry, potatoes, red raspberries, spinach, and strawberries. The FDA found that these foods contained substantial amounts of pesticides even after washing.

The second category of foods that you should buy “if you have the money” include asparagus, avocados, bananas, bread, broccoli, cauliflower, cereals, sweet corn, kiwi, mangos, oils, onions, papaya, pasta, pineapples, potato chips, and sweet peas. The pesticides levels can be reduced by washing these fruits and vegetables. You may also want to buy organic packaged products such as canned vegetables and dried fruit.

Seafood and Cosmetics are not worth the extra money according to the report. The USDA has not yet developed organic standards for seafood. In fact, California law prohibits organic labeling for fish until the certifications are determined.

It is most important for expectant mothers and young children to avoid consuming pesticides. This is because of the rapidly developing brain functions and internal organs, according to Mark Davis of the Organic Center.

Organic food is almost always more expensive then conventional foods. It may cost you 50 to 150 percent more for organic food. The production is more labor intensive and there are no government subsidies for organic growers. To get the best deals on organic food buy in bulk or buy generics or shop at farmers markets. Always watch for sales.