“A marrow!” exclaimed my housemate as she examined the contents of her fortnightly home-delivered crate of organic fruit, vegetables and dairy products. I was intrigued to see what she would do with this particular giant green vegetable, only recently having seen her do marvellous things with a baked pumpkin – and October was months away. Despite her ability to regularly quaff alcohol late into the night, each slurp accompanied by a puff on a cigarette, Lucie is a strict “organic vegetarian”. No cup of tea passes her lips with milk from a polluted cow and she happily loads up her trolley at the supermarket organic aisle, regardless of price or cheaper alternatives. When asked for a quote for this article, she offered to write it herself!

So what is all the fuss about organic produce? Above all, organic food only contains FOOD and it is full of the natural vitamins, minerals and nutrients we need. Non-organic meat we consume may contain antibiotic residues and growth promoters which were given to the animals. Furthermore BSE has never been found in organic beef herds, drug-free animals that graze on wild pasture. Battery hens are given antibiotics and hormones as well and it is their eggs that are used in most processed food like ready meals, pasta, cakes and biscuits. Fancy a good, healthy loaf of whole wheat bread or a crunchy bright green apple? Non-organic grains may be coated with remnants of pesticides, and non-organic apples can have all kinds of artificial chemicals on their skin.

With further additions of artificial additives, preservatives, colourings, flavourings and hydrogenated fats, the resulting build-up in our bodies caused by eating non-organic food from intensive farming could contribute to high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, gut problems, IBS, and obesity. Intensively-reared cattle are also a known source of the lethal E.coli bacteria.

In the UK, working the soil way past its natural state leads to erosion and the destruction of forests and hedgerows, the natural habitats for numerous species of wildlife. There has been a 95% decline in farmland birds since pesticides were introduced in to farming, but organic farms have been shown to have 44% more birds and many more wild plants.

So why are organic products more expensive? The truth is, they aren't, as we actually pay more for conventional food through our taxes. The government subsidises intensive farming, and we pay again through costs to clean up the chemicals that get into our water supplies, to clean up the ecosystem, and to fight the BSE crisis – which has cost £4 billion. Organic yields may take a little longer to reach the shops and the produce may not be as bright, colourful or long-lasting, but it's the closest to pure food we can get. Through purchasing it we are supporting organic farmers and the organic market, while protecting the environment and health of our families and future generations. Maybe next time you're in the supermarket you'll have a closer look at the organic aisle. You might just spot Lucie perusing the organic wines!