(AP) WASHINGTON - Patient after patient asked: Is eating organic food, which
costs more, really better for me?
Unsure, Stanford University doctors dug through reams of research to find out
- and concluded there's little evidence that going organic is much healthier,
citing only a few differences involving pesticides and antibiotics.
Eating organic fruits and vegetables can lower exposure to pesticides,
including for children - but the amount measured from conventionally grown
produce was within safety limits, the researchers reported Monday.
Nor did the organic foods prove more nutritious.
"I was absolutely surprised," said Dr. Dena Bravata, a senior research
affiliate at Stanford and long-time internist who began the analysis because so
many of her patients asked if they should switch.
"There are many reasons why someone might choose organic foods over
conventional foods," from environmental concerns to taste preferences, Bravata
stressed. But when it comes to individual health, "there isn't much difference."
