Organic Food Fends Off Pesticides

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The researchers found that the pesticide levels dropped immediately when the children started eating the organic foods. The staying power of the pesticides was "relatively short," Lu said.

"Whether that is important in terms of health effects remains to be seen," Lu added, noting that scientists don't know exactly how the pesticides affect the body over time.

There is evidence that they're dangerous, said Dr. Nathan M. Graber, a fellow in pediatric environmental health at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. "We know that at high doses, these pesticides can cause serious symptoms because they are toxic to the nervous system," he said, adding that there's "sound scientific reasoning" suggesting that low doses can hurt the developing brain.

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What should parents do? Kids should be eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, regardless of whether they are organically grown, because the benefits greatly outweigh the risk, Graber said. "Parents should not feed their children less nutritious foods out of fear of pesticides."

Foods that are especially vulnerable to pesticide residue include strawberries, nectarines, peaches, apples, pears and cherries, Lu said. Some other foods, such as bananas and oranges, aren't as vulnerable, he added.

More information

Learn more about organic diets from CNN.com (www.cnn.com#1 ).

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