Are Organic Foods Healthier?

Are Organic Foods Healthier? - as part of the expert series by GeoBeats. Organic foods means that it is a food that was processed without the use of genetic-ally engineering, without the use of pesticides, without the use of food additives and without the use of irradiation. Genetically modified foods, foods with pesticides in them, as well as foods that have food additives in them, cannot be classified as organic. In order for something to be organic it has to follow USDA guidelines and you will always see a little green stamp on the bottom of the package that says USDA Certified Organic. Generally, organic foods are a great choice if you are purchasing fruits and vegetables because fruits and vegetables tend to have such a high pesticide rate. Something that you are not going to eat the skin of, a banana, a pineapple, that necessarily does not have to be organic, because whatever pesticides would be sprayed, you are not going to eat the peel anyway. As far as dairy goes, it is a good choice to choose organic dairy, just because traditionally milk and other dairy products are treated with hormones and antibiotics and when you are eating them, they are not the best thing for you. So organic dairy, organic milks, organic cheeses, and organic eggs, are again, have to follow this USDA guideline of we do not use antibiotics in our food, we do not use hormones in our food. As far as meats go, it is better also to have organic meats. It is a little pricier, but yet again, you are purchasing meats that are made without antibiotics, without hormones, and just the practice of raising the animals are much cleaner, much healthier and much better for the environment. It is also important though to remember that just because something is organic does not mean it is healthy and it does not mean it is going to make you lose weight. Organic ice-cream is still ice-cream, so you should still eat something like that in moderation.