If you have ever stood in the produce aisle wondering if buying organic produce was the better choice instead of conventional, and then you see the sign for a local choice for the same item; which is better? Or do you choose based on price?
Local is always a good choice for a freshly harvested and flavorful product; plus the investment in your community creates other benefits beyond the simple food choice. Organic is also a good choice due to the richness of the soil that creates a more nutrient dense fruit or vegetable. Conventional, or commercially grown produce, means greater chemical fertilizer and pesticide use for a more uniform product, often harvested before it fully ripens in order to be transported to markets a greater distance from where that produce was grown.
Researchers at Rutgers University set out to disprove the claim that “Organic Is Better” and conducted a study on the mineral values of both conventional and organic produce with astounding results. The amount of iron in the organic spinach was 97% more than the commercial spinach, and the manganese was 99% greater in the organic. Many essential trace elements were completely absent in the commercial produce whereas they were comparatively abundant in their organically grown counterparts. (see: Medical Articles / “Organic vs Conventional” at: www.unitedmedicalnetwork.com)
