The Pros and Cons of Eating Organic Foods

The organic food industry is growing rapidly, with sales of organic products in the United States reaching $71.6 billion in 2024, a 5.2 percent increase from the previous year, according to the Organic Trade Association.

For a food to be certified as organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), it must meet several federal guidelines related to:

• Soil quality
• Livestock practices
• Pest and weed control
• Additive use
• Natural substances
• Physical, mechanical, and biological farming methods

If you’re looking to add (or continue to eat) more organic food, this dietary choice has some important health, environmental, and economic effects. Here’s what to know before you head out for your next grocery shopping trip.

Organic foods can provide a number of benefits for your health, the well-being of the animals your food is coming from, and the protection of our global environment.

Health Benefits

Organic food can reduce your exposure to synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. According to research published in the journal Foods, there are regulations on organic farming operations that food manufacturers and agricultural workers must follow. These rules have helped decrease the risk of allergic reactions, lung damage, nervous system problems, birth defects, and chronic health conditions such as cancer. More research is still needed to understand the comprehensive benefits of switching your current diet to an entirely organic one.

Organic farming rules also prohibit the use of antibiotics in animals. This regulation helps reduce the global threat of antimicrobial resistance that’s tied to conventional animal farming practices that use antibiotics, according to research published in Microorganisms. But why exactly is this important? Well, the World Health Organization (WHO) explains that antimicrobial resistance happens when pathogens like bacteria and viruses evolve and become ineffective in fighting infections. This results in an increased risk of illness and disease spread.

Instead of turning to antibiotics to keep their animals healthy, organic farmers are required by the USDA to use preventive measures, such as giving the animals appropriate space to roam, which in turn cuts down on the transmission of infections and other diseases they may be carrying or spreading to other animals near them.

Certified organic foods also exclude the use of genetic engineering practices. While research on genetically modified foods is limited and still being studied, some experts worry that genetic engineering may cause unexpected side effects that aren’t fully understood yet.

Animal Welfare

Many people who choose to eat organic meat and dairy do so to support better treatment standards of animals that ultimately serve as a food source. According to the USDA, organically farmed animals must be raised on organic land in ways that accommodate their health and natural behavior. Agricultural workers also need to feed animals 100 percent organic feed, allow year-round access to the outdoors, and raise them without antibiotics or growth hormones.

Environmental Sustainability

Research also explains that by prohibiting the use of pesticides, industrial solvents, and synthetic chemicals, organic farming practices help prevent additional environmental pollution. When farmers and ranchers follow sustainable farm management practices, they help preserve and improve the ecosystem’s health, promote biodiversity, support natural biological cycles, and encourage important biological activity in the soil, one study states.

Organic food, however, doesn’t come without its downsides. The most obvious disadvantage is cost. Organic foods tend to be considerably more expensive than their conventionally grown counterparts, creating an economic obstacle for many people who can’t afford these foods with their budget, research says.

And accessibility is an issue, too. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, about 13.5 million people have limited access to supermarkets or large grocery stores, which means that access to fresh and healthy foods (including organic options) isn’t readily available in their area.

The standards that identify a food as organic are also inconsistent. While the United States relies on the USDA certified organic label to confirm that a food meets its full list of requirements, organic farming standards vary from country to country, according to the Agriculture Institute, making it difficult to confirm how exactly your food is produced.

What’s more, some farms predominantly follow organic production practices but haven't pursued the USDA certified organic certification, either because they find the standards to be too restrictive or they don’t want to pass along the extra costs involved to the consumer via higher food prices, according to the National Organic Coalition. (Becoming a USDA-certified organic operation can cost anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars.) As a result, it’s likely that some food that has the benefits of organic is overlooked by people who shop for certified organic food exclusively.

While consumers often perceive organic food as healthier than conventional food, organic options aren’t necessarily more nutrient-dense than conventional options, according to Mayo Clinic. The nutrient content of food varies significantly based on the plant variety, the soil it grows in, when it’s harvested, how it’s stored after harvesting, and for how long before you eat it. As for animals, it largely depends on the food they feed on.

Instead of shopping exclusively for organic foods, take into consideration what’s local to your area, as well as in season, to reap the nutritional benefits of foods that are accessible to you. Get to know your local farmers at your area’s weekly markets and learn about their philosophies and farming practices as you browse the foods they have available. Shopping in this way can not only contribute to your local economy but also support the environment by reducing transportation costs associated with your food, research says.

If budget is your main barrier to eating organic food, it’s key to shop strategically. For instance, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) publishes two lists annually, the Dirty Dozen and the Clean Fifteen, that highlight which foods are most important to buy organic to minimize your pesticide exposure and which conventional foods pose minimal risk. While the EWG consistently recommends going organic with berries, apples, and spinach, conventional produce like pineapple, mangoes, and avocados (fruits with thick skins you don’t typically eat) is usually a safe, and more affordable, bet.