What’s up with organic produce? So much information has been circulating, telling us how we should buy our fruits and veggies.

Many have concluded that organic foods are:

• Safer
• Cleaner
•  Healthier
•  Tastier

But are they?

Why some of that may be true, social media continues to make it confusing and overwhelming.

What is Organic?

• Used to label any product that contains a minimum of 95% organic ingredients (excluding salt and water)
• Avoid using conventional pesticides, fertilizers, and additives
• Omit the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs)

Is it Healthier?

The variation in nutrient value between organic vs non-organic foods can depend on many things, such as:

• Soil
• Climate
•  Ripeness

Looking at just nutrient differences between organic vs non-organic can’t be fully concluded. From the limited research that has already been done, only slight differences in nutrient values have been found and limited information on health outcomes in people is available. Yes, your chance of pesticide residue may be less with organic food but there is limited research to conclude that organic food is actually “healthier” than conventionally grown food.

Don’t let yourself fixate on the difference too long. If organic options aren’t available or aren’t in the budget, that’s okay! As research continues to be done, hopefully soon, there will be more information to help us make conclusions about what may be best for us to eat. For now, if the choice is between fresh conventionally grown produce or a packaged food with the “organic” label on it, the best choice is the whole food.

Eating more plants can come with its challenges. There’s a lot of nutrition noise out there, everyone has an opinion, and it can be confusing to figure out what works best for YOU. Working through these challenges and learning how to easily incorporate more plant-based foods into your diet and lifestyle can be helpful. Working with a plant-based dietitian to guide you through your unique journey and surrounding yourself with other like-minded people who are on a similar journey can be monumental. When you join my nutrition coaching program, you’ll get a highly customized, one-on-one experience to help you confidently and sustainably eat foods that taste good and make you feel good. Click the button below to learn more about my approach and see what other clients have to say.