Organic foods

These days everything seems to be going organic -- from broccoli to cereal to meat, even pet products. In fact, a recent survey found that 55 per cent of Canadians eat organic foods.

Nutritionist Leslie Beck joined Balance Television host Dr. Marla Shapiro to explain why so many people are switching to organics.

"Organic basically means that a food is grown or processed without the use of genetic engineering, no synthetic or artificial fertilizers, no pesticides, no antibiotics, no growth regulators, no preservatives or dyes," Beck explained. "And when we talk about organic meat and poultry, those graze on certified organic fields and also they're given no antibiotics or growth hormones to speed up growth."

"So these are really foods that have a lower level of trace chemical residues," she added.

But can you be assured that a food claiming to be organic really fits the bill?

Absolutely, Beck said. There are third-party organizations called certification bodies that assure that the foods you're buying are in fact, organic.

The problem, she said, is that there are currently over 25 different organic logos that consumers can find on products, which can cause some confusion. She hopes that one day there will be a "certified national Canada organic logo that's more universal."

She did note that the existing certification bodies have similar standards that foods, farmers and producers have to use.

There is a noticeable price differential between organic and non-organic foods. So what are the benefits of eating organic?

According to Beck, there are a lot of people who simply say organic food tastes better, so it's worth the extra cost to them.

"There's a little bit of research now to show that organically grown produce may have higher levels of magnesium, vitamin C and important antioxidants called flavonoids, that may help reduce the risk of disease," Beck said.

"So there's a little bit of evidence there, but I think really people are going to organic foods because of the concern about pesticide residues that linger on the surface, especially on fruits and vegetables, and they may increase health problems. There's no research whatsoever. In fact, the National Cancer Institute of Canada, in 1997, reviewed all the studies and concluded that conventionally grown fruits and vegetables did not increase the risk of cancer. And in fact, we know that eating plenty of fruits and vegetables every day protects us from cancer."

There are some scientists and watchdog groups that are concerned about the possible harmful effects of a lifetime exposure to pesticide residues, she said. Children, pregnant women and breast-feeding moms may be more vulnerable to those effects.

A U.S. study looking at 38 popular fruits and vegetables, found the following to be the least and most contaminated.

Least Contaminated

• Avocadoes
• Brussels sprouts
• Corn
• Onions
• Sweet potatoes
• Cauliflower
• U. S. grapes
• Bananas
• Plums

Most Contaminated

• Bell peppers
• Apples
• Cherries
• Some imported grapes
• Celery

Two things are important to note about this study, Beck said. No Canadian produce was tested and none of the foods were so contaminated that people shouldn't be eating it.

So what can you do if you don't eat organic or decide that it's not worth the extra price?

Rinse them under running water, Beck said. That gets rid of a lot of pesticide residues. Also, discard the outer leaves on things like cabbage and lettuce and scrub thick skinned vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes. Beck doesn't think produce washes help because none of them claim to remove pesticides.