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Elizabeth Somer
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Organic Produce, Is It Healthier Than Non-Organic Produce? - Elizabeth Somer, R.D. (VIDEO)

Registered Dietitian Elizabeth Somer explains if organic produce is truly healthier than non-organic produce.

Registered Dietitian Elizabeth Somer:
Is organic produce more healthy? Well, yes and no, it depends on what you are looking for. If you are looking for a safer environment, for a gentler world to hand to our children, than by all means, buy local and buy organic; that’s hands down.

The problem is several things. One is it’s a lot more expensive and in these economic times, a lot of people can’t spend two to three times more money for an organic carrot than when the most important thing is to eat carrots.

So, if you don’t have the money, but you still want to make sure you get those 8 to 10 fruits and colorful fruits and vegetables into your diet, don’t worry about eating conventional produce. All the research that has showed that a diet rich in colorful fruits and vegetables--broccoli, asparagus, sweet potatoes, carrots, strawberries, blueberries--all that research has been done on conventional produce.

So obviously, it’s the benefits you get from conventional produce far outweigh the possible slight benefit that might be gotten from organic. But again, if you are looking to save the planet, organic is the way to go. If you are trying to save yourself, however you get your carrot is fine with me.

About Elizabeth Somer:
Elizabeth Somer, M.A., is a registered dietitian who has carved a unique professional niche as one of the few, if not only, dietitians who is well-versed in nutrition research. For 25 years, she has kept abreast of the current research, packaging that information into easy-to-read books, magazine articles, lectures, continuing education seminars, and practical news for the media.

Visit Elizabeth Somer at her website

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