By Lynda Goldman<\/b><\/p>\n
Do you think \u201corganic\u201d is just a code word for expensive, or that organic food is only for the elite?<\/p>\n
Do you wonder if\u00a0buying organic<\/a>\u00a0is\u00a0really\u00a0<\/i>worth the price?<\/p>\n You may have read the widely publicized Stanford University study last year that compared the benefits of eating organic food with conventional food, and concluded that organic food isn\u2019t healthier.<\/p>\n Many researchers and studies countered these findings. Charles Benbrook, PhD, a professor at Washington State University\u2019s Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources, cited government data that pointed out a\u00a0full 94% reduction in health risks<\/strong>\u00a0for people who eat organic food.<\/p>\n 1. It\u2019s the pesticides:<\/b>\u00a0The Stanford study defined \u201chealthy\u201d as having more nutrients, and concluded that while organic food does contain more nutrients, the somewhat higher levels don\u2019t warrant the higher prices.<\/p>\n That\u2019s not the reason most people buy organics. People buy organic food for\u00a0what it does not contain:\u00a0toxins, pesticides, fertilizers, antibiotics, growth hormones, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs).<\/p>\n 2. Avoid a chemical \u201cbody-burden\u201d<\/b>: We may be able to excrete small doses of occasional toxins, but the accumulated build-up\u00a0of pesticide exposure over many years leads to a chemical \u201cbody burden\u201d which can weaken our immune systems, or cause cancers and birth defects.<\/p>\n 3. Don\u2019t bathe unborn babies in chemicals<\/b>:\u00a0Cord blood in newborns now shows up to 200 or more chemicals!\u00a0<\/i>These chemicals have never been tested on fetuses, because no parent would ever allow it \u2013 yet our unborn babies are our guinea pigs.<\/i><\/p>\n Fetuses\u00a0are most vulnerable to pesticide exposure because their immune systems are not yet developed, and their bodies and brains are growing rapidly. Pregnant women\u00a0pass the pesticides they eat to the child in the womb, and to their babies through breast milk.<\/p>\n 4.\u00a0Save your kids from the \u201cbetter living thru chemistry\u201d experiment:\u00a0<\/b>The food you feed your children affects their growth and development. Pesticides are poisons designed to kill organisms on plants, but they also harm the people who eat them.<\/p>\n No one knows all the long-term consequences, but the toxic chemicals in our food and environment have been linked to everything from learning disabilities to cancers. As Dr. Oz said on his show, \u201cDon\u2019t let your kids be part of this experiment.\u201d<\/p>\n 5. If you eat meat, eat healthy animals:<\/b>\u00a0Animals from organic farms do not receive growth hormones or antibiotics\u00a0<\/b>which contribute to creating antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria.\u00a0Antibiotic-resistant bacteria<\/a>\u00a0impacts our health because when we get sick we may not respond to antibiotic treatment.<\/p>\n 6. Dine on\u00a0<\/b>fresher, tastier food:\u00a0<\/b>Organic food delights your taste buds because it doesn\u2019t contain preservatives that make it last longer. In our grandparents\u2019 day, everything was organic, and simple food tasted the way nature made it.<\/p>\n Now you can taste the difference when you bite into an organic strawberry or peach. It delivers a burst of sweet flavor. Compare that with its chemically grown cousin that sports a waxy shine but little taste. All show, no substance.<\/p>\n 7. Consume more nutrients<\/b>: Organically grown food is more nourishing because it comes from soil that is rich with nutrients. Modern soil has been sterilized with pesticides and herbicides, reducing the health giving nutrients we used to benefit from. Organic farmers use nutrient-rich compost. There\u2019s an old organic maxim \u201cHealthy soil makes healthy plants, makes healthy people.\u201d<\/p>\n Did you know?<\/b>\u00a0Those annoying little stickers on fruit yield some useful information. Conventional products have a 4-digit code. Genetically modified produce has a 5-digit code starting with 8. Organic produce has a 5-digit code starting with 9.\u00a0Go for the 9\u2032s!<\/i><\/p>\nHere are 7 compelling health reasons to buy organic today:<\/h3>\n