Which Organic Foods are Worth the Extra Price Tag?
If you've been purchasing organic foods with wild abandon for their health benefits, you may be finding it's not so healthy for your pocketbook. You can typically spend 30 to 50 percent more on organic foods than you would on conventional foods. But there is a real difference.
About three-quarters of traditionally grown produce show traces of pesticides, while only one in four organic fruits and vegetables do, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
Purchase organic produce with soft skin or that you eat skin and all (such as apples). Save on foods that are fairly pesticide-free thanks to their tougher outer layers (like bananas). Wash all items well with soap, water and a brush, but skip the fancy vegetable and fruit washes. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) do not recommend them. It's just an unnecessary expense, so spare your budget.
The best bet for both the environment and your health is to shop at your local farmers' market for close-to-home foods that require less shipping, which means fewer greenhouse gases and lower costs - even for organics.
In the meat and dairy aisles, organic choices are less straightforward. Beef, poultry, eggs and milk rarely have pesticides, but conventional producers sometimes use antibiotics and hormones on their animals. Although less than 1 percent of meat shows traces of antibiotics later, there is some evidence that antibiotic-resistant bacteria are more common in conventionally produced cuts than in organic products. You'll pay as much as 100 percent more for organic meat and dairy, but if you're a big meat eater or milk drinker it may be worth the investment.
Decode the stickers on your food: A five digit number starting with nine means it is organic, a four-digit number means it's conventionally grown.
