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IRON MOUNTAIN -- When shopping in a supermarket you may wonder what separates organic from all the rest. The Organic Trade Association (OTA) says organic foods are good for you in more ways than one:

-        No toxic pesticides
-        No synthetic hormones
-        Low levels of preservatives

But is it worth making the extra investment? Some experts say yes.

“Even though the chemicals have been tested--the herbicides, pesticides--we don't know what these chemicals are in combination with the body...this could lead to significant health risks that are very difficult to measure, so there's no way we know what is really happening inside with that level of exposure,” says Dr. Kerry Niebryzdowski, a naturopathic physician and licensed acupuncturist.

Dr. Niebryzdowski says the difference in nutritional value is significant. When it comes to children, parents should try to lead them down an organic dairy path to avoid hormones and provide them with higher protein.

"Any time we can get nutrients through food, this is much more powerful than if we were to get it through a multivitamin because the body can assimilate the nutrients a lot better," Niebryzdowski says.

Organic food sales have been continually increasing. The latest data from the organic trade association shows sales increased 7.7 percent from 2009 to 2010 despite the fact that it can cost customers almost double the price of conventional food.

Buying organic can get pricey, but when it comes to your body, it may be worth the extra buck.

For more information, check out the Organic Trade Association's website.