Latest Studies Show Increased Health Benefits of Organic

shutterstock_59289718 Since the findings of a 2009 study commissioned by the UK Food Standards Agency showed that there were no substantial differences or significant nutritional benefits from organic food, there has been a long-simmering row over whether or not organic is better than conventional.

In the search for answers, there has been hundreds of further studies commissioned, and now it looks as though the 2009 UK study has been disproved.

Latest research

In July, 2014, a team of researchers led by Professor Carlo Leifert at the Newcastle University School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development concluded there are “statistically significant, meaningful” differences between organic and conventional. The findings concluded that antioxidants were up to 69% stronger in organic food.

The study, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, was a meta-analysis of more than 340 studies on the subject, and is one of the largest and most comprehensive of its kind.

Professor Leifert says the study suggests that organic food is in fact better for you than conventional, however he admits that more work needs to be done to determine the health effect of human consumption of organics. For now, he was happy to conclude that on average, overall crops in all geographic locations appear to have higher antioxidant levels when produced using organic practices.

Conventional foods were found to have a higher concentration of a toxic metal called cadmium, and a higher frequency of pesticides. In fact, levels of cadmium were nearly two times higher in conventionally grown food, and pesticide residues were four times higher.

The health effects of toxic metals and pesticide residues

While fewer pesticides on organic foods come as little surprise, the revelation of cadmium levels is interesting. It’s the first time a study has reported a significant difference in cadmium levels, and this is considered to have been detected thanks to the sophisticated equipment being used in the study. What this means, however, is yet to be revealed.

Each year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Pesticide Data Program (PDP) tests conventional crops and claims that conventionally produced food does not pose a safety concern based upon pesticide residue. It also suggests that “the exact health benefits associated with reducing cadmium intake levels via a switch to organic food consumption are difficult to estimate”.

The health effects of more antioxidants

While the exact effect of pesticides and metals in the body is yet to be shown, there is a bit more knowledge when it comes to antioxidants. Antioxidants play an important role in overall health, and are natural compounds found in certain foods that help neutralise free radicals in our bodies. Free radicals are what attack fats, protein and DNA in our bodies, which can lead to certain diseases and accelerate the ageing process.

There is no set recommended daily allowance for antioxidants, however most health professionals will agree that the more consumed, the better.

This latest study suggests that switching to eating organic produce could see consumers receiving up to 40% more antioxidants, the equivalent of an extra two servings of fruit or vegetables per day. Considering most people consume less than the recommended daily amounts of fruits and vegetables, this could be a significant.

The research also found many higher compounds of antioxidants, such as polyphenolics, which have previously been linked to a reduced risk of chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease and neurodegenerative diseases, as well as some cancers.

Why people choose organic

The popularity of organic products, which are generally grown without synthetic pesticides and fertilisers or routine use of antibiotics and growth hormones, is skyrocketing all over the world. In the U.S., sales of organic foods increased from $3.6 billion in 1997 to $24.4 billion in 2011.

Leading reasons for the switch include: healthy eating, taste, animal welfare, care for the environment, and a desire to reduce the intake of synthetic chemicals.