The sales of organic food has rocketed with our increasing concern about the effects of herbicides, pesticides and pollution. However, it can be an expensive alternative and recent research has shown that for some foods it is worth paying the difference, but not for others. Here’s how it checks out:

- Organic whole milk was shown to contain 68% more beneficial omega 3 fatty acids in one UK study

- Potatoes and Green Beans both have a much higher vitamin C content than their non-organic equivalent

- Peaches contain more nutrients in terms of their vitamin content when organically grown

- Kiwi fruit studied by the University of California scientists were revealed to have 17% more cancer-busting polyphenols and 14% more vitamin C than non-organic fruit

BUT if bananas are your favourite fruit, don’t waste your money buying organic as one study found that the fruit was so well protected by its thick skin from the 50 or more chemicals routinely used during growing and storage that virtually no trace was found of them in the fruit itself.