Although some steps that we take to save the planet entail sacrifice (personally, I am getting tired of seeing my breath in my ice-cold house as a result of turning down the thermostat on my gas-burning furnace all winter. But I digress.), more and more evidence is emerging that organic produce is a win-win.

Of course buying organic sends a market signal that leads growers to use fewer pesticides and other agricultural chemicals, not to mention keeps carcinogens and neurotoxins out of your diet. But according to the most comprehensive comparison to date of the nutrient content of organic vs. conventional fruits, vegetables and grains, organics contain higher levels of eight out of 11 important nutrients. Among them: polyphenols (linked to lower risk of lung cancer and heart disease, as well as to greater longevity) and antioxidants (ditto).

Since 2001 more than 40 studies comparing the nutrient content of organic and conventional foods have been published. From those and some earlier studies, the Organic Center identified 236 scientifically-valid head-to-head match ups between an organic food and a conventional one. The nutrients included antioxidants (total phenolics, total antioxidant capacity, quercetin and kaempferol), three precursors of key vitamins (Vitamins A, C, and E), two minerals (potassium and phosphorous) and total protein.

Results: the organic food trumped the conventional one in 145 match-ups, or 61 percent of the cases. Organics came out ahead in polyphenols and antioxidants in about three-quarters of the 59 match-ups of these compounds.