Photo: Abbey LIttlejohn Picture the last time you were at the grocery store in the produce aisle… you started reaching for an organic tomato until the price tag stopped you in your tracks and you were left with an overwhelming choice: buy the organic one and deal with an ever-increasing bill at checkout or opt for conventional to save some money—but potentially add a side of pesticides to your salad. Picking out produce at the grocery store used to be a basic task you could do without overthinking too much. Now, choosing between organic and conventional foods has us putting a price tag on our health. And it doesn’t stop at the produce aisle. The decisions we have to make as consumers put us between a rock and a hard place: Do we pay more for an organic stamp and have peace of mind knowing that we’re doing our best to keep pesticides out of our bodies? Or do we go with conventional, saving money on food (which is increasingly expensive) but increasing our cancer risk in the process? Does it even matter?
It’s a valid question to have since cancer rates have been rising for many groups, especially in younger folks. Though more people are surviving cancer due to early detection and improved treatment, the American Cancer Society predicts more than two million new cancer diagnoses in 2025, marked by an increasing incidence in middle-aged and younger adults.1 Add to that the pervasive messaging we see on TikTok and other social media platforms that pesticides in our food are to blame. So, it’s no surprise that consumers might wonder: should you go organic to lower your risk of cancer? Data shows that the popularity of buying organic has increased during the past decades, with organic fruits and vegetables bringing in $22 billion in sales in 2022.2 While organic enjoys an image as a healthier type of food compared to its conventional counterparts, research hasn’t shown a clear answer on whether that translates into cancer protection, too. Organics & The Use of Pesticides
For a food to be called […]
Does Eating Organic Foods Really Lower Your Cancer Risk? Here’s What Experts Say
