Thinking of choosing organic produce, meats or packaged foods over  conventionally grown? Both the planet and your body will thank you for it if you do! Here’s a run down on organic specifics, potential benefits and buying tips.

• For fruits, vegetables and grains, organic means grown without the use of conventional pesticides, man-made fertilizers, sewer sludge, food additives or ionizing radiation.

• Organic meats must come from animals grown without the use of antibiotics or growth-stimulating hormones. Also, animals can only be fed organically grown grains and other feed.

• On packaged foods look for the “100% organic” seal which signifies all the ingredients must be certified organic, that is – grown and produced adhering to organic standards.

Any benefits?

• Organic growing procedures are friendlier to the environment reducing chemical contaminants to soils, water supply and air. And eating locally grown produce (whether organic or conventional) helps lessen fossil fuel use in transporting produce shorter distances.

• In many cases compared to conventionally grown, organic produce has greater contents of various vitamins and minerals.

• When it comes to taste, organic produce wins out against conventional as many of the complex taste compounds in fruits in vegetables are more plentiful in organically grown versions.

• When purchasing organic packaged food, you should note that organic doesn’t mean a food is healthier all the way around. Organic ice cream or cookies for example, while made with organic ingredients, still contain all the calories and fat of conventional versions. So use common sense when purchasing organic versions of your favorite treats.

-Liz Applegate, PhD