Brian K. Gaw, MD: Pediatrics + Adolescent Medicine

Do you ever walk through a grocery store, notice all the ‘organic’ food options and wonder what the big difference was besides the higher price?

The term ‘organic’ refers to the way farmers grow their fruits, vegetables, and other produce items that you’ll find at your local grocery. Organic farming excludes or strictly limits the use of manufactured fertilizers, pesticides, plant growth regulators such as hormones, livestock antibiotics, food additives, and genetically modified organisms. In lieu of these manufactured chemicals, natural fertilizers such as manure or compost are used as well as natural organisms to control pests. Furthermore, organic farming promotes healthy use of the soil and is considered more environmentally friendly.

The immediate benefit to you and I is that we are eating fruits and vegetables that are chemical-free, and by buying organic, we’re also doing our part to preserve our environment for our children.

There aren’t any nutritional differences between organic and non-organic fruits and vegetables–an apple would have the same amount of vitamins and minerals regardless of how it was grown. The jury is still out on whether or not there are long-term health benefits of eating chemical-free fruits and vegetables. I personally do not want any additives and chemicals in my food that I do not have intimate knowledge of.

Money doesn’t grow on trees, so if you want the best bang for your buck and want to go organic, buy organic fruits and veggies that have thin outer skins such as grapes and tomatoes. You’re much better off buying the organic versions of grapes, tomatoes, and other produce that have thin outer membranes because they don’t have as thick of a barrier to protect from chemicals. For the thicker-skinned fruits such as oranges and grapefruits, you can save some money and just buy the regular versions. If you go with the regular version, I would suggest peeling off the outer skin before eating.

A wise man (Ben Franklin) once proclaimed, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Fast forward 200 years, and the same quote still applies–especially with regard to your child’s health. We live in a world of smart phones, the Internet, busy jobs, and busy schedules. And it becomes increasingly difficult to find extra time out of the day to talk to someone about your child’s health.

Knowledge is a powerful thing as a parent, and there’s no better person to talk to about your child’s health than his/her Pediatrician. Case in point: a 10 minute conversation with your Doctor about establishing healthy eating and lifestyle habits can prevent serious diseases such as Diabetes later on in your child’s life. It’s easier to implement good habits rather than correct bad habits later on in life.

Not only will your child grow up healthier and happier, but you’ll save money and time in the long-term. It’s much easier to instill and enforce healthy habits than wait until your child is affected by a serious illness–hospital bills, continued medical treatments over a lifetime can be expensive.

Take a proactive approach to learning about your child’s health: utilize the Internet as a powerful resource, and when all else fails, talk to your Pediatrician.