There is no hard evidence that organic food is any better for people than beer and burgers. There are some studies that show all the good side effects of eating well, but they were probably paid for by companies that produce milk straight from cows or wild salmon.

It does not matter much if the entire organic thing is a hoax, when people don't have money to buy fancy food, they are going to have to settle for Spam and Cheese Wiz, whether they like it or not.

One company that will be hurt by the eating retrenchment is Whole Foods (NASDAQ: WFMI), a favorite of the upper middle class who wants to look down their noses at people who go to regular grocery stores. According to The Wall Street Journal, "Analysts say the upscale grocer probably will have to trim its earnings forecast for the current fiscal year and announce further cuts to capital spending or new-store plans."

The real question is how long it will take WFMI to recover from any downturn. Its customers may decide that they like cheap, fatty food and never return. Whole Foods has watched its shares go from a 52-week high of $51 to $10. Those stock certificates may become so worthless that people will have to eat them as part of a healthy meal. At least they will cost less than the Whole Foods produce.

Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.

Shares in high-end grocery retailer Whole Foods (NASDAQ: WFMI) have slid around 20% since early November. The most obvious explanation for the pullback -- investors remain concerned that a weakening housing market and continued turmoil in the credit markets could result in a slowdown at Whole Foods.

However, the company is more resistant to these pressures than many investors realize. Americans have shown an increasing desire to eat healthier -- a trend that has allowed sales of organic foods to grow at three times the rate as those at conventional groceries. As the largest retailer of organic products, Whole Foods is well-positioned to benefit from this trend.

Moreover, while the company is the clear leader in the organic grocery niche, it's still a minnow compared to traditional grocery giants like Safeway and Kroger. With only around 200 stores spread across the U.S., the U.K. and Canada, Whole Foods still has plenty of untapped markets to expand into over the coming years.

Two additional factors are also weighing on the shares at the moment. The first is a general fear regarding the potential impact of increasing competition in the organic foods market. In recent years, traditional grocery chains have been adding to their selection of organic foods. At the same time, new entrants, such as Britain's Tesco, are also targeting the space more seriously. However, Whole Foods remains the undisputed leader in this market and offers the widest product selection. Furthermore, there's plenty of room for multiple competitors in this growing space.

Finally, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) continues to pursue an antitrust case against Whole Foods' merger with rival Wild Oats Market. However, the FTC's case is weak and was strongly rejected by a judge earlier this year. The courts also rejected the government's attempts to block the merger pending an appeal -- Whole Foods has now completed the deal. It's highly unlikely that an appeals court will overturn the deal and break up the merger.

If you are interested in more analysis from Paul Tracy, you can find it at StreetAuthority.com

Though it's not easy for consumers to be green, MSN Money's Abby Schutlz points out that it's possible to be environmentally sensitive and fiscally prudent.

Since buying organic food is expensive -- organic milk is about double the price of the conventional variety and produce can be 200% higher -- Schultz points out that people need to make an organic budget for their environmentally friendly purchases. This can be as simple as buying organic products when they are on sale to the price disparity isn't as great or purchasing produce such as cherries, grapes and peaches that retain less pesticide residue then their conventional counterparts.

I was particularly interested in the piece because I would like to be more environmentally conscious but, like many Americans, I'm not sure about how much I am willing to sacrifice economically to do that.

While hybrid cars are still quite expensive and will likely stay that way for awhile, Schultz advises readers that simply driving less is great for the environment too. And with our country in the midst of an obesity epidemic, walking or biking makes sense for a lot of reasons.

Similarly, simply cutting back on energy use probably does more good for the environment than expensive all-natural products.

So while being green-friendly might seem more expensive, many aspects of conservation will actually save money: Buying products in bulk with less packaging is cheaper, and so is using the library instead of the bookstore.

Does anyone have any tips for being environmentally conscious on a budget? I've talked to some friends, and one of the main reasons people don't make more of an effort to go green is the cost.

Whole Foods Market, Inc. (NASDAQ:WFMI) was reinstated as outperform on 11-10-06. This stock is very attractive to me based on the things I've read about it. If the analyst's assertions are true, and WFMI's stock lost value based on a simple change in management focus from business operations to maintaining share price, then what should be happening in timely fashion will be a moderated climb back up to WFMI's fair market value. Salim Haji, an excellent writer over at The Motley Fool, offers the opinion that this stock has an intrinsic value in the $50 to $60 range.

With additional consideration of the fact that WFMI is undertaking a strategic stock buy back program, if I was looking for some fun places to play with some funds, this would be one of them. It is my opinion that this stock deserves some close attention right now. I think it is headed back up. One other thing I take into consideration about this situation is the possibility that Wal-Mart is going to fall flat on its corporate face with its "organic" food roll out. If that happens, (and I think it will), then Whole Foods Market will add even a bit more sparkle to my eye!

You can learn more about organic foods at About Organics.