What's not in organic food, Letton says, are the synthetic pesticides and herbicides used in the process of growing conventional produce. Organic farming relies on crop rotation, green-friendly manure and biological pest control. Rosenthal says the Food Standards Agency study that claims there's no nutritional benefit says nothing about how many potential toxic chemicals are in nonorganic food.
Small Steps
So is it worth it to go organic? According to Rosenthal, consumers can reap the benefits of organic eating by knowing which products are worth the extra cash and which types of conventionally grown produce contain the lowest amounts of pesticides.
The EWG created The Shopper's Guide to Pesticides
, a printable list that ranks pesticide contamination levels for 47 popular fruits and vegetables based on 87,000 tests conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration. The list contains produce that the EWG recommends you buy organic, as well as those that contain the lowest amount of pesticides and can be purchased in a non-organic state.Money-Saving Tips
* Buy your items in season. Even organic food is going to be priced cheaper when it's in season, and this advice applies whether you're buying conventionally or organically grown produce.
* Talk to the staff in the produce department of your local grocery store. Ask where the produce comes from, if it's in season and if you can sample it. Make sure you're spending on something worth it.
* Buy things in bulk. At Whole Foods, customers who buy in volume are offered up to a 10 percent discount.
* Buy only as much as you need. Food bought in large portions often goes to waste. If your store offers a bulk bin option, you can take as much or as little as you need, which also means less packaging.
* Make your grocery list and stick to it.
* Compare organic-to-organic prices. In stores where there are less organic items, those items tend to be much more expensive.
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