Following a scandalous study that claimed organic food isn't healthier than normal food, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is now saying that kids don't really need to eat organic. Or at least, they can skimp on the organic milk.
Researchers say eating organic might benefit kids, since organic produce is grown without synthetic pesticides, which have been linked to memory problems and cancer in adult farm workers, the Wall Street Journal reports. And switching to organic produce for just five days "dramatically reduced the levels of pesticide residue in the urine of children who usually ate conventional produce," WSJ writes.
But for parents on a budget, the AAP suggests skimping on organic milk, since the growth hormone fed to cows reportedly does not affect humans, the pediatricians say.
Still, researchers stress that having conventional fruits and vegetables beats having nothing at all. "Many families have a limited food budget, and we do not want families to choose to consume smaller amounts of more expensive organic foods, and thus reduce their overall intake of healthy foods like produce," Dr. Janet Silverstein said. So your best bet? Research which fruits and vegetables have the most pesticide exposure (apples and celery) and go organic on those.