Differences can be found in benefits of organic food

Winston-Salem Journal, Michael Hastings
Published January 25, 2006

I mentioned two weeks ago that people can expect to see continued growth in organic foods this year, despite continued high prices. Well, Consumer Reports has some good news for penny-pinching fans of organic foods and other products in its February issue. "Not all organic products are created equal," says Urvashi Rangan, an environmental-health scientist for Consumers Union, which publishes Consumer Reports. Critics contend that conventional foods pose no significant health risk. Still, studies have shown that eating organic foods can significantly reduce consumers' exposure to chemicals found in conventional foods. Consumer Reports says that misleading labels and varying quantities of pesticide residues mean that some conventional foods don't pose as much risk as people may think and that some organics may not offer as much benefit. Might not be worth it The magazine says that the word "organic" is meaningless when it comes to seafood because the government doesn't have a standard for organic seafood. Anyone can slap that term on fruit of the sea - even if the fish contains such contaminants as mercury or PCB. The magazine points out that some conventional fruits and vegetables rarely have multiple pesticide residues, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a research and advocacy group based in Washington. These are asparagus, avocados, bananas, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet corn, kiwi, mangos, onions, papaya, pineapples and sweet peas. Even organic produce can sometimes have low levels of pesticide residue because of the "pervasive" presence in rain and groundwater. Thus, organic versions don't seem worth the extra cost. Other foods whose higher price may not correspond to higher health value are breads, oils, potato chips, pasta, cereals, and such other packaged goods as canned or dried fruit and vegetables. In these cases, the benefit of fewer contaminants in the ingredients is reduced by processing methods that tend to "wash away important nutrients," Consumer Reports says. Also, foods labeled "made with organic ingredients" offer less value than those labeled "USDA organic" or "100 percent organic." Better bets for your buck Here are organic foods that are worth paying for, according to Consumer Reports: