Eating Organic in Saratoga

Did you know that eating conventional produce increases your risk of pesticide contamination by 30 percent? And chowing down on non-organic chicken and pork increases your risk of exposure to antibiotic-resistant bacteria by 33 percent? This is all according to a 2012 Annals of Internal Medicine report. 

If you're not already sold on the benefits of eating organic, consider this: organic foods may have more nutrients than their conventionally produced counterparts. Organic broccoli, for example, has higher levels of antioxidants and vitamin C than the traditionally produced variety, found a 2012 Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture study. There’s also evidence of more heart-healthy omega-3s in organic poultry and dairy.  

So eating organic is good for you and your family, but here's more: organic grub is good for Mother Earth. Foods advertised as organic must be grown by farmers who aim to use renewable resources, and conserve the soil and water. These practices preserve the environment and help prevent the extinction of numerous animal species.

So, here are some of our favorite local organic hot spots. Plus, check out these great markets featuring eco-friendly fare:

Saratoga has two farmers' markets, one on Wednesdays afternoon at Saratoga Village's Blaney Plaza and another one on Saturday mornings at West Valley College. Many of the vendors sell organic products and produce.

Rinconada Center’s Safeway, 12876 Saratoga Sunnyvale Rd., Paseo de Saratoga’s Lucky, Target’s grocery store section at the Westgate Mall, and of course Quito Village’s Gene’s all offer organic products, too.

Cox Ave., in Saratoga, also offers plenty of products that are grown or manufactured without synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides.