Mandy L. Puckett 9:01 a.m. ET March 22, 2017

Mandy Puckett(Photo: Photo provided)

The organic food business is growing rapidly. Nearly 70 percent of Americans buy organic food occasionally and nearly 25 percent buy it weekly. Organic food can be costly, so be sure to look for the USDA seal on any kind of packaged food to ensure youre getting antibiotic and hormone-free products.

What is the definition of organic?

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines organic products by stating they have been produced through approved methods that integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balanceand conserve biodiversity. The national organic standards forbid the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, sewage sludge, irradiationand genetic engineering to grow fruits, nuts, vegetablesand grains. Also, organic meat and poultry cant be irradiated and the animals must have access to the outdoors, plus cant be given any growth hormones, antibiotics, or other drugs. All feed must be 100 percent organic, with no animal by-products.

Furthermore, it is important to clarify that organic focuses more on how the crops were grown or the animals were raised, rather than on the nutrients the food provides.

How is organic defined for food product labeling?

100 percent organic: Made with 100 percentorganic ingredients

Organic: Made with at least 95 percentorganic ingredients

Made with Organic Ingredients: Made with a minimum of 70 percentorganic ingredients with strict restrictions on the remaining 30 percentincluding no GMOs (genetically modified organisms).

What are reasons to choose organic?

Individuals choose to include organic foods in their diet for several reasons, such as to reduce or avoid toxins (pesticides, herbicides, etc.), to avoid genetically modified foods, because they prefer the taste of organic food, for protection of the environment, and due to perceived nutritional benefits.

If your reason in choosing organic food is to limit exposure to pesticides, antibiotics, etc., then you are making a good choice. Research has found that organically grown crops consistently have about one-third as many pesticide residues compared to conventionally grown versions. Organic foods are also less likely to contain residues of more than one pesticide.

However, if you are choosing organic foods because you feel they provide a better source of nutrition, that is still up for debate.Currently, there is limited scientific evidence that shows that organically produced foods are in fact more nutritious in comparison to conventionally grown food. Similarly, taste and appearance of organic compared to conventionally grown foods tend to not show a significant difference either.Choosing fresh food is the best way to ensure you are consuming food at its peak of nutrition and best taste, whether organic or conventional.

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What foods should you always, whenever possible, buy organic?

Ultimately, choosing to buy organic foods is a personal decision.Cost tends to be the more significant barrier in choosing to eat organic foods as they typically are priced 20-100 percenthigher than their conventionally raised counterparts.

If you would like to incorporate some organic foods, but your food budget does not allow for a full shift, you can use the Environmental Working Group (EWG) as a guide to selecting produce as a place to start. Based on the EWG analysis of tests performed by the USDA, they identify each year the top 12 foods that should be purchased organic when possible due to their high pesticide residuals.For 2017 the EWGs Dirty Dozen includes, in order,strawberries (one of their key findings was a single sample of strawberries showed 20 different pesticides), spinach, nectarines, apples, peaches, celery, grapes, pears, cherries, tomatoes, sweet bell peppers and potatoes.

Are there any foods that dont necessarily need to be organic? Opposite of the Dirty Dozen is the EWGs Clean 15.The 2017 Clean Fifteen list of produce least likely to contain pesticide residues included sweet corn, avocados, pineapples, cabbage, onions, frozen sweet peas, papayas, asparagus, mangoes, eggplant, honeydew melon, kiwis, cantaloupe, cauliflower and grapefruit. The EWG reported that there were relatively few pesticides detected on these foods, and tests found low total concentrations of pesticide residues on them.

What produce is in-season in the spring?

Choosing produce that is in season is one way to control food cost. This spring look to include asparagus, broccoli, snap peas, green beans and a variety of lettuces.

Mandy L. Puckett is the manager of clinical nutrition and weight management at the IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital Bariatric andMedical Weight Loss Center. For more information, visit http://www.iuhealth.org/ball-memorial.

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Ask the Expert: How (and why) to eat organic - Muncie Star Press