The growth in popularity of organic foods has mirrored a greater consciousness about where the foods we eat come from. However, the increase in popularity has also come with a misconception that any and all organic foods are good for us, especially when it involves foods that are high in fat and sugar. Thus, while it is true that organic foods may be lower in pesticide resides and artificial ingredients, they can contain just as many calories as their less organic counterparts, and as a consequence, can be a significant contributor to obesity.

It is therefore important to keep things in perspective and remember that the term organic refers to how the food is produced, but is not an indication of its caloric content. For this reason, people who are dieting and trying to lose weight should keep in mind that choosing organic foods is not necessarily a low calorie alternative.

A recent article in the journal Judgment and Decision Making addresses this concern. The study reveals that Americans understandably associate organic food as being more wholesome, but also make the assumption that it is lower in calories, and as a result, feel justified in eating more of it, even in lieu of nutritional labels indicating otherwise.

To arrive at their conclusion, researchers recruited more than 100 volunteers to choose between two similar food products (chocolate sandwich cookies, i.e., Oreos) that were either organically or non-organically produced. Despite the fact that both foods clearly stated on their nutrition labels that they had the same number of calories, 38% of the subjects were under the impression that the organic choice was lower in calories. People also seemed to think that it was okay to consume the organic food product more frequently.

Additionally, whether or not a food choice was organic or not also seemed to play a role in a person's feelings about exercise. In a related study, scientists asked more than 200 people whether a person trying to lose weight could skip their regular workout after dinner if they consumed an organic dessert versus a conventional, non-organic dessert, or eating no dessert.

What the authors found was that people extended greater leniency and felt it was acceptable to forgo exercise if dessert was of the organic variety, or if it was not eaten at all. In fact, people were more inclined to forgive missing a workout if an organic dessert was consumed than if dessert was skipped altogether.

The findings highlight the paradoxical effects of choosing organic foods. While it is true that they are good for people and the environment on many levels, it is important to employ a little common sense and to use good judgment when eating any kind of food, especially when body weight is a concern.