Organic Fruits and Vegetables

1993 Words4 Pages

When you go to the grocery store, what types of produce, otherwise known as fruits and vegetables, do you buy? Do you look for the “organic” labels, or stick with the conventional options? You may question the difference between the two. After all, an organically grown apple often looks and tastes the same as its conventionally grown, genetically modified counterpart.
The price of the organic apple, however, will more than likely be significantly higher than that of the conventional apple. Sometimes, up to three times more expensive. Surprisingly, consumers still pay the “extra dollar” for the organic option. Organic fruits and vegetables are products of a farming system that “avoids the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, growth promoters and additives” (Kouba 33). They are required to meet these government standards, established by the
U.S. Department of Agriculture “USDA.” Because of this, many assume that organic is the “healthier,” more nutritious, option. But is this assumption true? With the rise of health-related concerns in the United States, the demand for organic produce has grown rapidly. Organic products are sold in nearly 20,000 natural food stores and 3 of 4 grocery stores. More recently, chained grocery stores such as Walmart and Target have joined the trend and started selling organic options (Troller 8). Research suggests that consumers spent $7.8 billion on organic food in 2000. This has increased by about 25 percent annually since then, with fresh produce being the top selling organic category today. In addition, recent statistics show that organic sales account for 4 percent of all U.S. food sales (Lockeretz 10). Professionals in health care, including doctors and dietitians, commonly encourage patient...

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