Eating organic foods has lots of benefits, from protecting the environment to helping you stay slim and healthier.

Now, Rodale Inc. CEO and Chairman Maria Rodale is out with a book called “Organic Manifesto: How Organic Farming Can Heal Our Planet, Feed the World, and Keep Us Safe.”

Men’s Health magazine, which is published by Rodale, Inc., is spotlighting those benefits, especially the ones for men.

Matt Bean, a senior editor of the magazine, spelled out many of those benefits on “The Early Show” Tuesday.

Although organic food is more expensive than conventional food, Bean says making organics a part of your diet can have a big impact on your health and that of your family.

From the book, Bean says, “We discovered … some pretty shocking and convincing arguments” for going that route.

Health Benefits of Organic Foods:

• More Nutrients: Studies show that organic foods may have increased levels of nutrients like antioxidants than conventionally grown foods

• Fertility Health: Pesticides found in conventionally grown foods have been shown to reduce fertility

• Immune System Protection: The chemicals in non-organic foods may also harm your immune system, leaving you more susceptible to illness and some forms of cancer

• Hormones and weight gain: New research has shown that some agricultural chemicals could actually be making you fat by interfering with your hormone levels.

• Unknown effects of GMOs: Many people are concerned about genetically modified foods, especially since many of them have never been tested on humans. Organic foods are never genetically modified.