Stephanie Bell knew things would be different after studying abroad in Costa Rica last fall, but she didn’t know it would be the contents in her grocery cart that changed. After four months of observing the harsh environmental impact of banana plantations, she returned home with a new commitment to an all-organic diet. 
 


“It’s one thing to read about something in a textbook and another to see it with your own eyes,” says Bell, Leawood senior. “We’re so lucky that none of us have to work in packing plants or farm these bananas that are so cheap at Dillons.” Bell now buys all of her produce, dairy and meat from local, organic growers. 


 Environmental awareness and an assumed “healthiness” are the main reasons why consumers buy organic food. Organic food sales have risen from $3.6 billion in 1997 to $21.1 billion in 2008. Bell joins 30 percent of Americans who buy organic food at least occasionally according to a 2007 Harris poll. 
 


 From a green standpoint, Bell is more concerned with the environmental factors of organic food than any health benefits. “I think our bodies are pretty resilient, but I don’t think the environment is,” Bell says.  

 Barbara Haumann of the Organic Trade Association says pesticides used in traditional farming methods can create “dead zones” in the soil where food can no longer be produced.

 For those who eat organic because they think it is healthy, Haumann says evidence has shown that organic produce is richer in Vitamin C, iron, magnesium and phosphorous. The environmental benefits have long been understood, but research supporting the added nutritional value is emerging more frequently. The most recent study found that strawberries produced on organic farms were of higher quality.

 John Reganold, professor of soil sciences at Washington State University, says his team conducted the study to examine the primary reasons consumers buy organic: they think it’s healthier, tastes better and is better for the environment. He says the presence of pesticide residues has been proven time and again, so the study focused on nutrition. 
 


 Reganold and his team found that organic strawberries had lower concentrations of phosphorous and potassium, but higher antioxidant activity and ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) concentration, which promotes immune system health. ”You’re getting more antioxidants, more Vitamin C and the berries are being produced on healthier soil,’” Reganold says. 
 


 Though buying organic may be beneficial to your health, it can hurt your pocketbook. Amber Wheeler, Mason, Mo., senior, buys organic meat, milk, fruit and vegetables, but can’t afford going beyond those “basics.” “With specialty things like organic flour, there’s like a $3 price difference,” she says. 
 


 Wheeler became interested in eating organic after listening to her grandmother, who said “if it’s unnatural, it can’t be good for you.”

 Despite the growing popularity, equating “organic” with “expensive” remains a common assumption. For Wheeler, it’s a price she’s willing to pay. “I just feel better,” Wheeler says. “I feel sluggish when I eat processed or prepared foods.” 
 


 Leeann Brown, press associate for the Environmental Working Group, says she understands students don’t always have the luxury of buying the more expensive option, but thinks it’s important for to be aware of pesticide residues on food and have the option of avoiding the chemicals if they choose.

 “That extra 25 cents you’re spending is probably giving you about 10 times the bang for your buck,” Brown says. “There are strict standards that organic produce has to meet. So when a student’s buying something organic, they know exactly what they’re getting and that’s a higher quality.”