Just a few short years ago, if you wanted to buy organic food you had to make a special trip to an out-of-the-way grocery store. Today, organic products are cropping up all over the place. Are they worth their weight in gold or just another marketing maneuver?
What Is Organic?
First, let’s take a look at what exactly it means to be organic. “Basically, organic foods are grown with
restricted use of pesticides or hormones, and livestock are fed organic, plant-based diets,” says Ashley
Kadlubar, R.D., L.D., program dietitian with the Baylor Weight Loss Surgery Center at Grapevine.
As with any product, it’s important to check the label to determine exactly what you’re getting.
Products labeled “100 percent organic” must contain only organic ingredients with the exception of water and salt, according to the USDA. Products labeled “organic” contain at least 95 percent organic ingredients. And products that are made with at least 70 percent organic ingredients can be labeled “made with organic ingredients.”
The Bottom Line
While organic food can cost up to two or three times that of regular foods, it may not be any better for you, Kadlubar says. “Organic foods are not necessarily any better or safer than regular foods. Research supports that they are equal in nutritional benefit, only differing in the way they are grown and processed.”
In other words, the choice is yours. Whatever you do, don’t let your choice inhibit your ability to get the nutrients you need. “What’s important is that you get at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day—whatever type you choose,” Kadlubar says.
When It May Be Worth It
Want to buy organic but don’t have it in your budget to do it across the board? Consider at least opting for organic when buying these fruits and vegetables, as they’re considered the top 10 worst offenders for pesticides, according to the Environmental Working Group:
Apples
Celery
Cherries
Grapes (imported)
Lettuce
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Strawberries
Sweet bell peppers
For information about nutrition services at Baylor Grapevine, please visit BaylorHealh.com/Grapevine or call 1.800.4BAYLOR.
About Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine
Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine is a full-service, fully-accredited not-for-profit hospital serving residents in more than 20 cities throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth region. Focused on being the best place to give and receive quality, safe and compassionate care, Baylor Grapevine works to lead the transformation of health care. The 273-bed hospital offers advanced medical services for cardiovascular services, women’s services, oncology, neurology, spine care, orthopedics, diagnostic imaging, neonatal intensive care, intensive and emergency care.
Physicians are members of the medical staff at one of Baylor Health Care System’s subsidiary community or affiliated medical centers and are neither employees nor agents of those medical centers, Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine or Baylor Health Care System.
Contact:
LaKisha Miller
lakisha.miller@baylorhealth.edu
817-329-2678
About Baylor Scott & White Health
As the largest not-for-profit health system in the state of Texas, Baylor Scott & White promotes the health and well-being of every individual, family and community it serves. It is committed to making quality care more accessible, convenient and affordable through its integrated delivery network, which includes the Baylor Scott & White Health Plan, Baylor Scott & White Research Institute, the Baylor Scott & White Quality Alliance and its leading digital health platform – MyBSWHealth. Through 51 hospitals and more than 1,200 access points, including flagship academic medical centers in Dallas, Fort Worth and Temple, the system offers the full continuum of care, from primary to award-winning specialty care. Founded as a Christian ministry of healing more than a century ago, Baylor Scott & White today serves more than three million Texans. For more information, visit: BSWHealth.com
