| While studies conducted recently on the nutritional | | | | potatoes. The site also sites meat and dairy |
| benefits of organic food have refuted earlier | | | | products, owing to the fact that conventionally |
| assertions that organic food is more nutritious | | | | raised cows are given heavy doses of antibiotics |
| than conventionally grown food, there are still | | | | and hormones. The Environmental Working |
| those who choose to consume only organic | | | | Group meanwhile has also published a list of 47 |
| food. The typical thinking is that while it is not | | | | commonly available fruits and vegetables |
| more nutritious, at least it isn't laced with all kinds | | | | according to the levels of contaminants used to |
| of harmful pesticides. Apart from not ingesting | | | | grow them. |
| pesticides, there is the belief that going organic | | | | "The Daily Green" published a second list though; |
| also minimizes the spraying of chemical pesticides | | | | one which lists items that can be consumed safely |
| into the air, damaging the environment. | | | | even if they are grown conventionally, either |
| The biggest issue with organic food is that it is | | | | because they are not grown even conventionally |
| just that much more expensive. How can it not | | | | with a lot of chemicals, or because the edible |
| be? Organic farmers don't use chemicals and | | | | portions are not penetrated by chemicals, these |
| pesticide, growing organic food requires more | | | | are: onions, avocados, sweet corn, pineapples, |
| labor, and labor is expensive. Organic crops | | | | mangos, asparagus, sweat peas, kiwi, cabbage, |
| aren't sprayed with chemical fertilizers, so yields | | | | eggplant, papaya, watermelon, broccoli, tomatoes, |
| are lower as well. Because they don't use | | | | and sweet potatoes. |
| chemical preservatives, organic foods tend to spoil | | | | If you'd like to go organic but are a bit worried |
| a lot faster too. All these contribute to the | | | | about how it will affect your budget, then be |
| substantial price difference between organic and | | | | smart. For starters, for items which need to be |
| conventional food. Of course advocates of | | | | organic, don't buy them out of season. It's |
| organic farming swear that organic produce | | | | always tougher to grow fruits and vegetables |
| tastes a lot better, taste however, is subjective, | | | | organically, much more so out of season, yields |
| and there are those who say there is no | | | | are lower, costs are higher and so are selling |
| perceptible difference in taste. | | | | prices. The only thing that is lower is the |
| An online publication called "The Daily Green", has | | | | quality. Secondly, plan all your meals around |
| compiled a list of 12 fruits and vegetables that | | | | what is available at any one time. Finally, if you |
| you should only ever buy organic, because | | | | find organic meat on sale, at a really good price |
| conventionally grown crops of these items are | | | | and you have a good freezer, then stock up. |
| laced with chemicals. The items they indicated | | | | Whether or not going organic is the right thing to |
| are: peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, | | | | do is completely up to you. If you think it is |
| celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, kale, | | | | important though, there are ways to make the |
| leafy greens, grapes, carrots, pears, and | | | | choice more bearable financially. |