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As more and more organic products become available it seems like an excellent idea to see if buying organic is really worth it, and just what it means to your health.

Certainly in terms of prices, you will notice that many of the prices on organic products are quite competitive, whilst a few are extremely high. So, is it worth it? According to Which? magazine, the processing of food reduces the likelihood of chemical residue. Certainly their verdict is that there is not much benefit in swapping to organic fizzy drinks.

But on the whole organic can certainly mean healthier in terms of chemical additives, and organically produced food cannot contain any genetically modified ingredients. They are kept separate during processing and are trackable to their source. Growers, processors and importers must be registered and are regularly inspected. The use of E numbers is restricted and only natural colours and flavourings and sweeteners are allowed.

But don’t make the mistake of thinking that they necessarily contain less fat, sugar or salt. Sometimes there is more. And organic products don’t tend to have added vitamins.

It is probably better to have a good varied diet and not worry too much, but if you are concerned about the effects that residues of pesticides, growth hormones and antibiotics might have on you and your children, then the following are general guidelines based on my research on the web and articles in Which? magazine.

Simple Healthy Guidelines

Based on the few samples that have been tested by the government, we are correct to assume that organic fruit and vegetables have little or no pesticide residue. As a general rule I would recommend that you buy all organic fruit and vegetables that you are going to eat raw.

Washing fruit and vegetables is always a good idea. Studies show that washing and peeling non-organically grown carrots, apples and potatoes reduces the level of chemicals by 50-90%.

If you enjoy eating meat but care about the conditions the animals live under, then buying organic makes sense. There are strict regulations about size of cage, access to outdoors and use of antibiotics. Also the use of growth hormones is prohibited.

Processed foods - organic yogurt, cheese and milk won’t contain residues of antibiotics and growth hormones. Organic rice and cereal crops are less likely to contain pesticide residues. Organic pure fruit juices will contain little or no pesticide residues.

Chocolate - if you are a choc-o-holic you would be well advised to switch to organic chocolate. Lindane, a pesticide that has been withdrawn by the EU is still used extensively by cocoa growers. A little probably won’t hurt, but if you a a choc-o-holic it is be a really good idea to go organic!

Responsible Buying

If you are going to buy organic then I would urge you to buy British. At present Britain imports 70% of its organic food. Tesco has confirmed in writing that 80% of its organic food is imported. This is at a time when many farmers in the UK are expanding into the organic market and when the government is considering offering assistance to those farmers. So if you want to go organic please support your local farmers!

Remember things are changing. The restrictions on organic produce are getting tighter all the time which means that organic is getting healthier, and the conditions that the animals we eat have an increasingly better standard of living. And of course the more people who buy organic, the more competitive the prices will become.