New research published last week by Stanford University may leave you wondering whether you should buy organic
food over conventional food.
The study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found nutrient levels were almost the same in organic and conventional food. The study also found that pesticide levels were, in fact, lower in organic produce than conventional, but the levels in conventional food were below maximum allowed.
Brian Phillips, store operations manager at the Merc, 901 Iowa St., says buying organic isn’t always about the nutritional value, but rather people are starting to want to know where their food comes from. He said people care about the benefits, not just their health, but the environment as well.
It’s no secret that buying organic costs more, but it doesn’t have to be a total transformation of your grocery shopping.
“It’s a lot more manageable if you introduce one thing here and there,” says Phillips.
We all live on a tight budget in college. Here are a few ways to eat organic, without totally emptying your wallet.
Skip the processed foods
Just because ramen noodles or fast food is cheap doesn’t mean it fills you up, nor does it give you the nutrition you need. I mean, really, what nutrition do you get out of ramen noodles? Phillips said “whole grain” foods are more nutritious and actually give you that full feeling more than processed foods. And that’s the whole reason we eat, right, is to get full.
Use the “Dirty Dozen” list
A quick and easy guide to deciding what to buy organic and what not to buy is the Environmental Working Group’s list of produce that should be bought organic. It’s called the “Dirty Dozen” and its counterpart, the produce that can be bought at conventional stores, is the “Clean 15”. According to the Dirty Dozen, the number one produce that you should always buy organic is apples, because they have the highest amount of pesticides. You can download a pdf version of their list online and take it with you when you go grocery shopping.
Check out the farmers’ market
By buying your produce at the farmers’ market, you can skip the middleman. Prices are often lower when you buy directly from the farmer, and you can ask them about their farming practices. Check out the Lawrence Farmers’ Market on Saturday mornings from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. on New Hampshire Street between 8th and 9th Streets. For more information and a list of vendors, visit lawrencefarmersmarket.com.