Organic food is not healthier, Stanford study finds

Cinzia Cuneo September 10, 2012 Health, Organic

According to the report published on September 4 in the , there’s no nutritional or safety differences between organic and conventional foods.

Researchers at Stanford University Medical Center in California reviewed more than 200 studies that compared either the health of people who ate organic or conventional foods or, more commonly, nutrient and contaminant levels in the foods themselves. The foods included organic and non-organic fruits, vegetables, grains, meat, poultry, eggs and milk.

After analyzing the data, the researchers found little significant difference in health benefits between organic and conventional foods. No consistent differences were seen in the vitamin content of organic products.

The review yielded scant evidence that conventional foods pose greater health risks than organic products. While researchers found that organic produce had a 30 percent lower risk of pesticide contamination than conventional fruits and vegetables, the pesticide levels of all foods generally fell within the allowable safety limits. Additionally, organic chicken and pork appeared to reduce exposure to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, but the clinical significance of this is also unclear.

These findings don’t mean you should stop eating organic foods. There are reasons to choose organic over conventional that go beyond health, especially in regard to taste. Organic is the obvious choice if you are concerned by the effect of conventional farming on the environment and animal welfare.

As far as myself, I tend to favor local food, whether it’s certified organic or not, because, since it has been picked when it is ripe, it is indeed better-tasting. An additional reason is that since it has not traveled a few days to get to you or been refrigerated for a long time, it has better nutritional value.

Since I do not have an unlimited budget for my groceries, I follow the to prioritize my purchases.

If you don’t want to wait around to find out if long-term exposure to pesticide residues does, in fact, increase the risk of health problems, I suggest you do the same 😉

Author

Cinzia Cuneo

Cinzia Cuneo, founder of SOSCuisine.com, never wanted to neglect the quality of her food. She shares her special expertise to make good food quickly and without complications!