Q: What are the nutritional benefits of organic produce? Are organic products worth the extra cost? Answer from Kimra Hawk, R.D., L.D., Outpatient Dietitian, and Terese Scollard, R.D., L.D., M.B.A., Regional Clinical Nutrition Manager: Organic produce is generally grown without the benefit of herbicides, pesticides and other technologies used to control weeds and insects on conventional farms. Organic fruits and vegetables often cost more because such alternative farming practices are labor intensive and produce smaller crops. While there are reasons you might choose to pay more for organic (you may prefer the taste, for example), do not do so out of fear that conventionally grown produce is unsafe or lacking in nutrition. Evidence shows conventional produce to be just as safe and nutritious as organic produce. Let’s look first at data surrounding pesticides and food safety. Some studies have found that people who eat conventionally grown fruits and vegetables have more pesticide by-products in their urine than those who favor organic produce. Yet there is little evidence that pesticides in amounts normally consumed by humans can cause cancer or endanger health by any other means. It is prudent, however, to minimize your intake of pesticides by washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating them. You might also consider peeling fruits and vegetables, where possible. These steps are recommended even if you have purchased an organic product; winds sometimes carry pesticides from conventional farms to nearby organic farms and there is an “allowable” amount of pesticide an organic farmer can use. Now let’s talk about nutrition. To date no body of research has proven organic produce to be more nutritious than conventional produce. All fruits and vegetables, regardless of how they are grown or what they cost, contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber that contribute to a healthy diet. Nutritionally speaking, it matters little if the produce you eat is cooked or raw, fresh from the produce department or purchased in the freezer section, organically grown or conventionally grown. What matters is that fruits and vegetables are regular items on your family’s grocery list and weekly menus. (Just go easy on the juices, as they carry plenty of calories and little fiber).   Browse our experts' answers to reader questions on other health topics.
October 2003
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