Organic. The word alone conjures up images of new age yuppies doing
yoga on their lunch breaks and sporting red Kaballah strings round
their wrists. The basic jist of organic products is that they are free
of genetically engineered ingredients. They’re also quite a bit pricier
than regular nosh. So, is it just the latest celeb fuelled fad or are
there real benefits to eating organic? .

Where do you go if you
want to eat organic in London? And, to make things even more difficult,
if you’re a vegetarian or a vegan? I decided to begin my search in the
hallowed halls of my local Tesco. Tesco isn’t the most popular
supermarket in the UK for nothing, it cleverly keeps up to date with
every trend going and has a section specifically dedicated to organic
food. Yep, fruit, veg, cordial, chocolate, it’s all here. There’s
plenty on offer for the vegetarians, and for vegans, the Finest Four
Bean Salad is good on the go. All the other major supermarkets are now
stocking organic produce but Tesco does appear to have one of the best,
and most affordable selections.

Next stop the West End. After
some heavy shopping on Oxford Street my new-age stomach was rumbling
and at McDonalds and Burger King, despite having vegetarian offerings,
alas, had nothing organic. Since Selfridges is meant to stock virtually
everything under the sun, I decided I couldn’t go wrong in their food
hall. I certainly wasn’t disappointed. A big variety of organic produce
can be found at many of the deli counters, and you can also mix and
match your own organic vegetarian or vegan meal to go. Daylesford
Organic is a posh concession in the food hall specifically dedicated to
organic food. Their ciabatta with olive oil was delicious. Also worth
trying in Selfridges is the Food Garden Cafe on the 4th floor which
offers a big choice of organic, vegetarian and vegan food at decent
prices.

No article about organic food would be complete without a
visit to the organic "Mecca" that is Fresh & Wild. Upon entering
the Notting Hill store, I found myself in organic heaven, surrounded by
cosmetics, vitamins, yoga books, wine and even organic candles! The
deli was laden with dishes like wild rice stuffed peppers and tofu
kebabs with honey and ginger, and there were at least five totally
vegan hot meals on the menu to eat in or to go, and many more
vegetarian ones. The coconut dahl with brown rice is delicious and
healthy. The food is quite pricy, but if you go for a special you can
get a large portion for under four quid. I got chatting to Chris who
says ever since he started eating mainly organic, he has much more
energy, feels healthier, and is less susceptible to colds and ‘flu.

"Many
people think it’s just another fad, ’cause celebs like Gwyneth Paltrow
only eat organic," he said, "but believe me, there are real benefits to
your health."

With the number of organic pubs in London on the
rise, organic food is definitely becoming more of a norm, and
restaurants like Chair and Eat and Two Veg, which is organic, fully
vegetarian and also has a vegan menu are gaining in popularity.

So what do they make of all this down at the Swan in Stratford? Tash is not very impressed by the organic revolution.

"I
don’t think there’s any real difference between normal and organic
food, except for the price!" she says. " I just can’t be arsed!"

It
sure seems that Londoners are pretty divided on this issue. But if
you’re one of the organic converts, what do you do if you want to grab
an organic meal in a hurry, and there’s not a Tesco or Fresh & Wild
in sight? My advice is to take a packed organic lunch because the craze
probably hasn’t caught on at your average kebab shop or off licence.
Not yet anyway.