Although sophomore Kevin McInerney is a vegetarian, he said he doesn’t eat organic food because he lives on campus.

“I eat dorm food,” he said. “I eat off of my meal plan.”

Another reason McInerney said he doesn’t eat organic food is because he feels it’s too expensive when he already has a meal plan.

“If I didn’t live in the in the dorms, I’d probably think about (buying organic food),” he said.

Recent studies have concluded that organic food may, in fact, be healthier than food grown through conventional methods.

What is organic?
According to the Mayo Clinic Web site, the term “organic” refers to the way farmers grow, handle and process food, meaning no conventional methods of fertilization, weed prevention or disease prevention are used while producing organic food. For example, instead of using a chemical herbicide to prevent weeds, organic farmers will use sophisticated methods of crop rotation and mulch or manure to prevent weeds.

In order for the United States Department of Agriculture to certify food as organic, the food must meet tough standards.

Organic fruits, vegetables and grains must be grown on land that has not had any contact with prohibited substances, such as sewage or lead salts, for three years prior to the harvest. No genetic engineering may be used on the plants, and for the food to be considered certified organic, it must not come into any contact with non-organic food during its handling process.

Meat, milk, eggs and other animal products need to be raised on a 100 percent organic diet given no growth hormones or antibiotics to treat infections. Animals must also have access to the outdoors, shade, food and water. Organic animals also must not come into any contact with conventionally raised animals.

Is organic really better?
It can be argued that an apple still has the same nutritional content despite the method used to grow the apple, but a 2001 study by certified nutritionist Virginia Worthington in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine concluded that organic fruits, vegetables and grains have a better nutritional quality than conventional foods.

Worthington revived 41 published studies comparing the nutritional value of organic and non-organic food and concluded there is significantly more of several nutrients in organic foods -specifically vitamin C, iron and magnesium. Worthington also noted organic foods have significantly less nitrate.

The study also concluded five servings of organic fruits, vegetables and grains would fulfill an adult’s daily requirement of vitamin C, whereas five servings of non-organic food would not.

Aside from the differences in nutritional value, organic foods, unlike conventional foods, have no chemical residues which can be harmful to the body.

The Environmental Protection Agency now considers 60 percent of all herbicides, 90 percent of fungicides and 30 percent of insecticides used today as potentially cancer causing.

Based on studies conducted by the Consumers Union and the Environmental Working Group, the Children’s Health Environmental Coalition recommends 10 foods to buy organic to reduce exposure to chemicals on plant products.

The studies analyzed the amounts and toxicity of pesticide residues found on conventionally grown food samples from the USDA and the Food and Drug Administration. The foods with the highest amounts of toxic residues were added to a list of foods that are safer when bought organic.

The “Top 10” foods to buy organic are peaches, apples, pears, winter squash, green beans, grapes, strawberries, raspberries, spinach and potatoes.

Aaron Ellringer, co-owner of Just Local Foods, 722 First Ave, said he lives an organic lifestyle and noticed changes in his health that he attributes, in part, to better eating habits.

“A multitude of health problems (like allergies and asthma) have been alleviated,” he said.

Ellringer said he believes it is hard to compare organic foods to non-organic foods because of the nutritional and quality of taste difference.

An organic lifestyle is not expensive either, Ellringer said. Since becoming organic, Ellringer said he avoids many prepackaged and pre-made foods. He eats a more simplistic diet, which is cheaper that buying packaged foods.

Ellringer said he believes students could benefit form eating organic foods. He said the first step is to become more aware of what is in the foods students eat, such as Easy Mac.

“Find simple things that can replace that, like some cheese and crackers, to find a healthy alternative to that,” he said.