The TRUTH is the main reason to buy organic food is not because you are looking for more nutrients, even though there is an abundance of research that does show this to be true!

It is so sad that a media release of a pretty bad review of lit has created such a buzz.  

Below you will find three excellent responses to the Stanford study.  

The authors of all three articles below are highly respected leaders in the sustainable food community.  In addition, consumer reports is recognized  as a trusted source of information.  The third study, "Five ways the Stanford Study Underestimates Organic Food," helps you clearly understand the way in which the media has made the Stanford study  misleading.  

The media has interpreted the Stanford study findings as showing no clear health benefit of organic.  However, the study does show a very significant difference in exposure to pesticide residues and antibiotic resistant bacteria. There are also problems with the way the meta-analysis was conducted (a review of many studies) which Chuck Benbrook highlights in the second article.  

Both Dr. Benbrook and Tom Philpott both emphasize  how pregnant women and young children are especially sensitive/vulnerable to the impacts of pesticide residues, especially hormone-disrupting chemicals that affect people at extremely low doses. 

 Don't give up on organic food, Consumer Reports experts urge

http://news.consumerreports.org/health/2012/09/dont-give-up-on-organic-food-our-experts-urge.html

Today on Civil Eats from Chuck Benbrook:

http://civileats.com/2012/09/05/what-was-left-out-of-the-organic-study/

And the always excellent Tom Philpott weighs in:

http://m.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2012/09/five-ways-stanford-study-underestimates-organic-food

Pilate's, Personal Training, Yoga, SPINNING® - Fit Lifestyle Studios - Melrose, MA

Pilate's, Personal Training, Yoga, SPINNING® - Fit Lifestyle Studios - Melrose, MA

Pilate's, Personal Training, Yoga, SPINNING® - Fit Lifestyle Studios - Melrose, MA

Pilate's, Personal Training, Yoga, SPINNING® - Fit Lifestyle Studios - Melrose, MA

question from Kerry Keane Conway:
I have another question... if we limit the amount of dairy, or remove dairy, from our kids diet, how concerned do we have to be about them getting adequate amounts of calcium and what foods provide the best source? There is so much conflicting info out there.
Great question Kerry.  we have been bamboozled into thinking we need dairy for calcium.  The truth of the matter is the U.S. eats more dairy than any other country and has more hip fractures/replacements - bone density issues than anywhere in the world..... We do not absorb as much calcium from dairy as we do when we obtain it from plant sources. 
When you eat a diet that is healthy full of veggies, beans, nuts and seeds it is impossible to not get sufficient calcium.  Green vegetables are high in calcium.  1 cup of collards or kale have the same amount of calcium as one cup of mik.  Broccoli, calcium fortified oj, garbanzo beans, lettuce, soy beans.  all good sources of calcium.  Sea weed has 10 times more calcium than dairy! & if you replace dairy with almond milk, rice or coconut milk they are all fortified with calcium as well....
I could go on and on about this..... 

America is the fattest place on the planet.  We are the sickest.  Obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and cancers are at an all time high!  We spend BILLIONS of dollars on fad diets, fitness craze products and supplements... anything for a quick fix.  We make excuses to not exercise, we make excuses not to eat healthy yet we will spend BILLIONS of dollars trying to get there... However, I have heard on many occasions; "It is too expensive to eat healthy:"  REALLY?!  We will pay now or pay later?  YOU will either set a strong foundation for your children's health or you will create a burden for their future.  We have choices!  What do you think of the state of American's health??