Picture the last time you were at the grocery store in the produce aisle… you started reaching for an organic tomato until the price tag stopped you in your tracks and you were left with an overwhelming choice: buy the organic one and deal with an ever-increasing bill at checkout or opt for conventional to save some money—but potentially add a side of pesticides to your salad. Picking out produce at the grocery store used to be a basic task you could do without overthinking too much. Now, choosing between organic and conventional foods has us putting a price tag on our health. And it doesn’t stop at the produce aisle. The decisions we have to make as consumers put us between a rock and a hard place: Do we pay more for an organic stamp and have peace of mind knowing that we’re doing our best to keep pesticides out of our bodies? Or do we go with conventional, saving money on food (which is increasingly expensive) but increasing our cancer risk in the process? Does it even matter?
It’s a valid question to have since cancer rates have been rising for many groups, especially in younger folks. Though more people are surviving cancer due to early detection and improved treatment, the American Cancer Society predicts more than two million new cancer diagnoses in 2025, marked by an increasing incidence in middle-aged and younger adults. Add to that the pervasive messaging we see on TikTok and other social media platforms that pesticides in our food are to blame. So, it’s no surprise that consumers might wonder: should you go organic to lower your risk of cancer? Data shows that the popularity of buying organic has increased during the past decades, with organic fruits and vegetables bringing in $22 billion in sales in 2022. While organic enjoys an image as a healthier type of food compared to its conventional counterparts, research hasn’t shown a clear answer on whether that translates into cancer protection, too.
Organics & The Use of Pesticides
For a food to be called “organic” in the US, it has to abide by a specific set of standards set by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Even within the organic category, however, there are different labels:
- 100% Organic: Made with all organic ingredients
- Organic: Made with at least 95 percent organic ingredients
- Made with Organic [fill in the blank]: Contains at least 70 percent organic ingredients
According to the USDA, organic food is produced without conventional pesticides, fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge, bioengineering (genetically modified organism/GMO) or ionizing radiation. Meat, eggs and dairy that are organic are produced from animals without the use of antibiotics or growth hormones.
Overall, when it comes to crops that produce food like fruits and vegetables, the main difference is that organic is produced without the use of synthetic chemicals, says Melanie Hingle, Ph.D., M.P.H., RDN, associate director at the School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness at The University of Arizona in Tucson. She says that organic farming may also rely on natural pest control methods (like releasing beneficial insects or planting nearby plants that attract pests), using natural soil enrichments instead of synthetic fertilizer, or weeding by hand.
But here’s the kicker—organic doesn’t necessarily mean pesticide-free. “Organic produce may contain pesticides. These are typically organic pesticides,” says Meghan Garrity, M.S., RD, CSO, an oncology dietitian located in New York City. “You can lower pesticide exposure by eating organic, but not 100%. There’s a misconception that organic is completely ‘clean,’ but unfortunately that’s not the case,” she says.
Research shows that organic farmers are less likely to spray their fields with pesticides. However, when organic farmers use organic pesticides and conventional farmers use synthetic pesticides, organic and conventional farmers use them at a similar rate, though one main difference has been found: With pesticides that are considered to have “high acute human toxicity,” organic produce contains about one-quarter less of these products compared to conventional.
Organic produce may contain pesticides. These are typically organic pesticides. You can lower pesticide exposure by eating organic, but not 100%. There’s a misconception that organic is completely ‘clean,’ but unfortunately, that’s not the case.
That said, even if a specific chemical may be toxic, it’s the dose of exposure that makes a difference. That’s why the EPA has rules on how much pesticide can be used. “They set this limit with a large margin away from a dose that has been shown to potentially cause harm. These limits are on how much is allowed to be used, as well as limits on how much can still remain on food,” says Krystle Zuniga, Ph.D., RD, CSO, an oncology nutritionist in Austin, Texas. She points to a 2024 USDA report that found that more than 99% of the nearly 10,000 foods tested (which included fresh and processed fruits, vegetables and nuts) had pesticide residues below the EPA-established levels. It’s important to note that limits are set for each food, taking into consideration children’s safety.
Still, these chemicals might remain in your body once you consume them. In one small trial (of just 27 people), researchers randomized one group of adults to eat a Mediterranean diet made of only organic foods, while the other group ate a Mediterranean diet made of conventional foods for two weeks. The organic group wound up with 91% lower levels of synthetic pesticide residue in their urine than the conventional group.
What Research Says About Organic Food and Cancer Risk
Garrity notes that lowering exposure to these pesticides doesn’t automatically translate into an outcome like cancer prevention. More research is needed to see if exposure below recommended limits confers a real benefit.
Several studies have tried to answer this question with mixed results. One recent systematic review and meta-analysis concluded that the overall and specific cancer-type risk (breast, colorectal, non-Hodgkin lymphoma) were not associated with how frequently someone ate organic foods.
On the other hand, a review of observational studies has found that eating organic (no specific amount is noted) may be tied to multiple health benefits, including reduced incidence of metabolic syndrome, high BMI and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. That said, the researchers point out that it’s not clear if eating organic food is the benefit per se (or the reduced exposure to synthetic chemicals). Also, people who eat organic food tend to have more nutritious diets and manage their weight.
However, an earlier study published in 2018 in JAMA Internal Medicine concluded that following an organic diet may be associated with a 25% lower risk of certain cancers, such as postmenopausal breast cancer and lymphomas. Consuming a sustainable diet (one that has a low environmental impact), of which organic is one element, was also found to be associated with a small benefit to cancer risk, according to another review.
So, why is there so much conflicting data? “This speaks to the challenges we have in studying nutrition in general,” says Hingle. “It’s very difficult to isolate the relationship between food exposure and a health outcome because there are many other things that can contribute to health and disease like cancer,” she says, adding that cancer is something that often develops over one’s lifetime, and more long-term studies are needed.
What’s more, consumers who tend to buy organic food are more likely to be health-conscious and physically active, which makes it hard to tease out which of these factors contributes to a lower risk of chronic diseases, including cancer, says Heather Greenlee, ND, Ph.D., M.P.H., professor in the Cancer Prevention Program and director at the Cook for Your Life program at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center.16
We do not want people to feel like if they can’t afford to buy organic, they should avoid produce altogether. That is not how we reduce our risk for cancer. At this point, we know that consuming a diet rich in plant foods is one of the best things you can do to reduce your risk of cancer, whether that’s organic or conventional
Overall, the unfortunate news is that there’s no clear answer on whether we need to purchase organic to protect ourselves against the risk of these diseases or not. “Our evidence is too limited to say definitively whether eating organic can lower your risk of cancer,” says Greenlee. That said, we do know something very powerful: “Strong evidence has demonstrated a connection between a lower risk of cancer and following eating patterns that are high in unprocessed or minimally processed (whole) plant foods, healthy oils, and lean poultry and fish, as well as limited added sugars and saturated fats,” she says. This includes whether you purchase conventional or organic.
There is no denying that organic food is more expensive, and it may not be in everyone’s budget to buy all, some, or any organic. Focusing on pesticides is an important conversation—it’s one we need to have—but it’s easy to let this influence your shopping habits in negative ways. “We do not want people to feel like if they can’t afford to buy organic, they should avoid produce altogether. That is not how we reduce our risk for cancer. At this point, we know that consuming a diet rich in plant foods is one of the best things you can do to reduce your risk of cancer, whether that’s organic or conventional,” says Lindsey Wohlford, M.S., RD, a wellness dietitian at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. This is good news because it makes a cancer-prevention diet accessible to more people.
Eating Tips to Lower Your Risk
If you feel more confused than ever, we have nutrition tips you can be confident in. “When talking about eating to prevent cancer, there are things you can do. But I should say that there are no guarantees—even for the world’s most perfect diet,” says Wohlford. Here’s where to start:
- Eat a plant-based diet: Aim to consume a diet rich in plant-based foods. These foods are packed with fiber, which supports the health of your microbiome (and gut health may play a role in cancer development), provide antioxidants and other plant compounds that counter damage to cells, and are high in vitamins and minerals.
- Eat more fruits and vegetables: Speaking of plants, just one in 10 Americans meet the recommended intake of fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are a cornerstone of a cancer-prevention diet, and this is true whether you choose to buy organic or conventional.
- Limit your intake of some foods: Those include red and processed meats, added sugar, ultra-processed foods and alcohol, says Wohlford. Ultra-processed organic foods, like cookies or snack mixes, are still ultra-processed foods.
- Eat a variety: “Different pesticides are used for apples versus berries, for instance. If you’re only consuming strawberries, you expose yourself more frequently to pesticides used to farm strawberries,” Zuniga says. Consuming a variety of fruits and veggies in your diet will lead to smaller levels of exposure to different pesticides.
- Wash your produce: Washing, peeling and cooking can reduce pesticide residue. Though, keep in mind that some of the pesticides are within the fruit or vegetables since they’re present in the soil, says Zuniga.
- Choose organic sometimes, if you’d like: Buy organic when it’s at a lower cost or similar in price. Sometimes, buying organic frozen foods can offer price savings.
- Focus on the big picture: “While diet plays a crucial role, it’s one piece of the puzzle. Other major lifestyle factors, such as alcohol consumption, smoking, physical activity, exercise and maintaining a healthy weight, are all related to cancer,” says Hingle.
The Bottom Line
Organic versus conventional foods differ in many ways, one of which is the use of pesticides. Organic food cannot be grown using synthetic pesticides, though that does not mean they’re pesticide-free. Although there is evidence of less pesticide residue in the urine after eating an organic diet, it’s unclear whether that directly translates to a lower risk of cancer. What’s more, the evidence also isn’t certain that an organic diet will offer more protection against cancer compared to one containing conventional food. In fact, when it comes to cancer prevention, research shows that your overall diet is what’s most important. Whether you choose organic or not, any fruits and vegetables are better than none. So keep putting those tomatoes in your shopping cart.
