Organic seems to be the way to go, for a healthier life and for a more sustainable environment. It’s natural to think of foods that we HAVE to eat for good health, like fruits and vegetables, meat and dairy, when we hear the word organic, but who would have thought that foods we LOVE to eat and which tend to be addictive, like chocolate, coffee and the like, also find a place under this theme? Well, they do, so the next time you go organic shopping, make sure you check out these aisles too, rather than stopping with just the produce section:

• Say it with Chocolate: Who doesn’t love to sink their teeth into a big bar of gooey chocolate and savor it as it melts on their tongue? Now you can do it with less of a guilty conscience, thanks to the organic form of this delicious candy. Organic chocolate is made from organic ingredients that must meet the strictest standards; they cannot be genetically modified, the milk powder must be free of the recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone that’s given to cows to make them produce more milk, and the cocoa must be grown under conditions that preserve the bio-diversity of forests and protect the natural habitats of animals and birds local to the area. So go ahead, indulge yourself even as you contribute to the environment in your own way.

• Wake up and smell the Coffee: If you must have your daily fix of caffeine, the least you can do is make sure it’s organic. Organic coffee is grown according to the standards set by the US Department of Agriculture – the crop must be nourished without the use of synthetic pesticides and other banned substances for three years, and farmers must adopt a crop rotation plan that prevents soil erosion and a decrease in the amount of natural nutrients.

• Add more goodness to your life with Tea: Tea, especially Green Tea, has been proven to be loaded with antioxidants that are beneficial in reducing the signs of aging and in keeping cancer-causing free radicals at bay. Now there’s more good news for tea lovers – organic tea brings more health benefits because of the way it’s grown, using eco-friendly techniques in estates that are self-sustaining. The leaves are prepared by hand and dried in natural sunlight.

• Settle down with these Snacks: Not all snacks have to be detrimental to your health. Baked as opposed to fried chips, organic fruit bars, low fat crackers and cheese – these are just a few options you find when you cruise along the organic snack aisle with your shopping cart. Now you don’t have to worry about your kids refusing to eat fruits and veggies in lieu of snacks; you can both give them what they want and make sure they eat healthy too.

• You don’t have to say no to this Alcohol: That is, if you’re environmentally conscious, a vegan or want a healthier option when you’re in high spirits (pun intended). Au contraire to various claims, organic alcohol does not give you less of a hangover or taste better than its non-organic counterpart, so stop right there before you go on a drinking binge. Organic means the spirit has been distilled from ingredients that have been grown on certified organic farms where no pesticides and fertilizers are used, and processed in a certified organic distillery where no nitrogen or other chemicals are used in the distilling process. Yes, you can say cheers with more meaning now when you drink, but make sure you stay within the limits of sobriety.

There’s a mad scramble to jump on the bandwagon labeled “organic”, mostly because these foods are sold at a premium cost. Of course, people are willing to pay more if they’re sure they’re getting a better and healthier product, but the question here is, are they really getting what they pay for? Unfortunately, there are products that are not wholly organic and yet sold under the organic umbrella. To make sure you get your money’s worth of health, check the labels carefully or better still, buy brands that your trust even if they’re more expensive.

This article is contributed by Sarah Scrafford, who regularly writes on the topic of ekg tech salary. She invites your questions, comments and freelancing job inquiries at her email address: sarah.scrafford25@gmail.com.