Study Questions Organic Food Benefits: What You Can Do

Tuesday, September 4, 2012 5:49 PM

By Nick Tate

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A widely reported new study challenging the health claims made by organic food producers has left consumers with many unanswered questions. Among them: 

• Are some organic fruits, vegetables, and meats better than others when it comes to vitamin and nutrient levels?

• Does it make sense to choose organic food products that have far lower levels of pesticides than their conventionally grown counterparts?

• What products offer the best bang for your grocery buck when it comes to shopping organic foods?

To answer these questions, Consumer Reports recently detailed which organic food items are worth buying – and which aren't worth the extra cost – based on U.S. Department of Agriculture laboratory tests of pesticide residues for a range of foods. 

Although the report was published before this week’s organic food study – by Stanford University and the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System – the guidelines offer a sensible guide to buying some organic foods to potentially boost your health without dramatically increasing your grocery bill.

Among the magazine’s findings: 

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