Weight Loss & Diet Plans

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Although organic food can cost more, you may be able to save money by shopping around.

You may be better off buying from local farms and ranches, whether they're certified organic or not. Many small farms use organic methods but cannot afford to become certified. Food from local farms is also likely to be fresher, which means it will taste better and may even cost less. Visit farmers' markets to find locally grown food.

What do you need to know about organic food?

More and more organic foods are showing up in the produce aisles of local grocery stores. It can be confusing to know when to buy organic versions of your favorite foods. Many people buy organic food because they are worried about the environment. And many people buy organic food to avoid chemicals, especially pesticides, in their food.

You may have these questions about organic food:

• Is it safer? Foods with the organic label have much less pesticide residue compared with most nonorganic foods. Foods grown with pesticides can have small amounts of pesticide left on the food when it gets to the store. Studies have shown that being exposed to large amounts of pesticides can cause harm. But they have not shown that the amounts of pesticides left on most nonorganic foods are enough to cause harm.
• Is it more nutritious? There is not enough evidence to say that organic food is more nutritious than nonorganic food.
• Is it better for children? Children may be more sensitive to pesticides because they are still growing. And they eat more food for their weight than adults do. Products such as organic milk and organic baby food can be good choices for your peace of mind.
• Does it taste better? There is no evidence that organic food tastes better just because it's organic. But organic food is usually fresher, because it doesn't contain preservatives and it needs to be eaten sooner. Fresher food usually tastes better.
• Is it better for the environment? In general, yes. Many organic farmers and ranchers work to conserve water and soil. Pesticides can kill birds and small animals and make it hard for them to reproduce, so using less of these toxic chemicals is good for the environment.
• Is it better for animals? Maybe, but conditions vary. For example, organic ranchers must let their cattle graze in open pastures. But some ranchers do that only part of the time, confining the animals to corrals the rest of the time.

How can you avoid pesticides on your food?

You can avoid pesticides by buying organic food. But organic food can be hard to find, and it often costs more.

If you are worried about pesticides but want to save money, you could buy organic versions of only the foods you eat most often. Or you could buy organic versions of only those foods that have the most pesticides when grown on traditional farms.