Why shop organic?

Organic foods are held to higher standards than other foods; pesticides, insectisides, and herbicides are restricted to a large degree. However, like the rest of us, they don't always live up to their standards, so unless it states that a particular product is certified 100% organic, there is some degree of toxins and pesticides. Both 100% and 95% organic are certified by the USDA (the label will say this), and have gone through approximately 85 steps to get there; a label that says 70% organic, or just plain "organic", is not USDA certified. Your local farmers market may carry foods that are grown organically, but have not been certified. All of these are more nutritious than non-organic foods, but are not totally free of antibiotics and hormones. 100% organic produce uses non-organic fertilizer, and new organic beds still have some residue of what was grown in there before, so it's important to wash it ALL before you stick it in your mouth. I NEVER eat what is set out to sample in any store; while it (hopefully) has been rinsed, all those people sticking their hands in those covered plastic domes (which is a joke) have now made that food inorganic - and after it had to work so hard to get there!! I have read a lot about organic foods, and several articles list the top foods to buy organically - in test after test, these have always been shown to have the highest amount of pesticides and toxins in their non-organic form. Milk and eggs are at the top of the list, followed by potatoes, spinach, grapes (from Chile), and bell peppers - if you can't afford to buy anything else organic, at least start with these. Pork, chicken and turkey are up there also - seafood right now is not regulated, so I just feel better when I buy it from a store like Whole Foods - they at least have their own standards, which they state openly. Peaches, strawberries, celery, green beans - pretty much anything you don't normally peel - should be bought organically if you can afford to; the store brands are usually quite a bit less, and have to live by the same rules (I normally hate rules, but in this case, I'm really, really glad there are some!) If you can buy in season and locally grown, it will have less of an impact on the environment - and now is the perfect time - fresh fruits and vegetables are at their peak! Melissa