HEB is announcing the launch of its own line of organics in more than 350 stores.
Once a trend for the discerning shopper, organic food is now more mainstream than ever.
"The demand for organics has been steadily growing for the past several years, so HEB wanted to make sure that we offered a variety of food choices to our customers," said Lacey Kotzur, HEB spokesperson.
The region's largest retailer is offering hundreds of organic items under their new label at stores throughout Texas and Mexico, meaning even more shoppers will have to decide whether or not to buy organic.
For shopper James Rios, the deciding factor will be the cost.
"I'm not as picky, I guess, whether it's organic or not," said Rios. "I guess I go for the best price."
However, in some cases, it's actually cheaper to buy organic.
A name-brand package of lettuce at HEB costs about a dollar more than the HEB Organics brand. Organic carrots, on the other hand, are about 20 cents more than conventional.
However, according to nutritionist and wellness coach Nikki Allen, it's worth it to guy organic, no matter what the price.
Allen said aside from the fact that organic food tastes better, it's better for your health. She said removing pesticides, hormones and genetically engineered foods from your diet will pay off in time. She also said chemicals are responsible for a host of illnesses and health problems.
"I would say definitely eat organic. In the long run, you might be spending extra money, but overall, you're going to spend less on health and health care," said Allen.
Allen said shoppers especially need to be aware of the "dirty dozen" foods. The list -- actually well over a dozen -- includes includes apples, celery, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, grapes, hot peppers, nectarines, peaches, potatoes, spinach, strawberries, sweet bell peppers, kale, collard greens and summer squash, as they generally carry the most pesticides.
While price may continue to be an issue for some, as the trend grows and more stores offer organics for less, it's an option more shoppers will be able to consider.
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