Organic vs. conventional: What do experts say?

Some people go strictly organic but are organic foods 100% better than conventional food? Is organic food more nutritious? Studies have shown that some organic foods contain higher nutrient levels than conventional ones. For example, a recent study showed that organic ketchup had 57 percent more of the antioxidant lycopene than regular ketchup.

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However, according to Alan McHughen, Ph.D., professor of botany and plant sciences at the University of California, Riverside, organic production allows natural pesticides, which can be toxic to humans and wildlife." Organic fertilizers may also contain harmful bacteria, such as E. coli. Plus, organic farming yields only 75 to 90 percent of the crop of conventional systems, meaning that more land must be planted in order to have an equal return.

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Professor McHughen's advice is to Focus on foods' benefit to your immediate environment -- i.e. your body -- first. "A good diet means variety, balance, and moderation, regardless of the farming method that produced the food."

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