Organic Versus Non-Organically Grown Foods

Diet plays an important role in health and disease. The foods we choose to eat can help in the prevention of many illnesses, thus increasing our quality of life. In the local supermarket or health food store, there are more food choices than ever before. This can often lead to confusion in determining what food choices are the healthiest. Some people are choosing organically grown foods over conventionally grown foods. The main reasons some choose to consume organically grown foods is the thought that (1) they are consuming little or no pesticide residue left on produce, (2) they want to support an industry that is more gentle and has less negative impacts on the environment (3) they believe organically grown foods have higher levels of nutrients. It is important for individuals to weigh the proposed health benefits and financial cost of consuming organic vs. non-organic foods.