Is it really worth the money to buy organic foods?

Question

What is the difference between regular food and organic food? Is it worth the extra money??

Answer 1

Depends where you live... I live in MI and I think its worth it in the winter when most of our foods are shipped from over-seas and Mexico. However, in the summer I can usually find more local produce.

Answer 2

Yes, Jennifer, they are worth it. You not only do your family and yourself a real service by purchasing it, but you also support local growers. Producing organic foods is not only more expensive for the purchaser, but for the farmer as well. If you don't have a food co-op, or natural foods store near-by, go to farmer's markets and ask the farmers if their produce is organic. Each state has a law, or a guideline, for what qualifies as organic in their area. For CA, the farmer must not have used chemical fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides for seven years in order to qualify.

The non-organic foods are produced with synthetic fertilizers (this is important because anything that feeds the food we eat, also feeds us), may use pesticides (one of the largest concerns) and herbicides. These things are not meant for the human body, many are proven to cause cancer and other diseases. The farmers of non-organic foods use these chemicals to get better looking food, but it has less nutrutive value. These non-organic methods kill the soil, so the nutrients in the soil are only the ones the farmer adds to the soil.

Organic farming methods create living soil, and the variety of nutrients in the soil is very large. Those nutrients feed the produce and in turn, feed us. Since the organic farmers do use the synthetic chemicals on the food, everything you get out of the produce is natural. There is MUCH more to learn about organic foods, but this is a start. For more information, go to sacfoodcoop.com. This is a local organic food co-op that has been around since 1974, and is a star in informing people about natural foods. They have a large variety of books for sale that will teach you a lot.

Answer 3

organic foods are never genetically modified or irradiated. They only use organic fertilizer (worm and/or cattle manure) and organic approved pesticides. Growth hormones are never used.

Conventional foods often times are genetically modified so the plants are immune to harsh chemicals (pesticides, etc.) One example is genetic modification so plants will be immune to weed killing chemicals. Once they change the DNA of the seeds to tolerate these chemicals, the soil is flooded in them. The fertilizer and pesticides used are typically synthetic which means they were manufactured in a factory somewhere (man-made).

I like to buy organic because I care about my health. Organic foods aren't much more expensive if you find the right place. I recommend going somewhere that sells exclusively organic produce because the prices will be much more competitive.

Here in Berkeley, CA they have a 100% certified organic farmer's market which I go to nearly every Thursday. There are also plenty of natural grocers which sell exclusive organic produce.

Answer 4

In regular foods they put pestacides and for the fruit with thin skin the pestacides go thru the regular food and so ur eating pestacides with ur fruit! It is SOOO worth it to spend more money on organic food! PLUS organic food is naturally grown not with steroid like strawberrys!! OH and u can finds some organic food at kroger! hope i helped!!

Answer 5

Not for certain. That's a research that's been done in Germany right now. When is it Bio a Bio food ? That's whats the name for organic foods over there.
If you want to save your money, and if you have any time and any way of gardening in and arround your home? You can produce your own organic veggies.
I love container gardening. I have an east patio and a west patio on my house and a 12x6 veggie plot in my garden. You can grow a variety of veggies right into your container. The container must be fairly wide and fairly large.
A good resource of information are out there in the book stores. Also if you happen to have a roof top avaiable you can make veggies grow there. The imagination about gardening is not limited. Years of experienced gardening .

Answer 6

It is worth it if you don't have access to a local farmers market but beware of products claiming they are organic. Not all organic produce is created equal. Organic is a huge industry right now & lots of companies are trying to market it to people like you by cutting corners and selling it cheaper that the rest of the stuff. Your best bet is to buy from a farmers market. Ask questions & see what chemicals they use. Its bound to be better than the stuff shipped across country to your local grocery store.

Answer 7

The Answer for you is in the form of a question.
Is it really worth it to die of heart disease or diabetes or some other chronic decease caused by the pesticides in processed foods?

Answer 8

If you are allergic to certain chemicals and it helps, then sure why not pay more? I personally can't afford to feed my family of five on organic. Not only that, but it does spoil a lot faster.

Answer 9

Yess! Since my mom's friend died of cancer, we've been eating organic foods because they're really healthy. She goes to Whole Foods.

Answer 10

Its depend on the way of their value.