Benefits of Organic Food - part 2

The Jury is in - Organic Food IS healthier

When it comes to the benefits of organic food, the media presents an array of conflicting evidence. This confusion as to whether organic food is better for us than that produced conventionally does of course satisfy certain agendas.

I believe the pro-organic research findings, but I have zero faith in the anti-organic. The reason? Because my own hands-on research has proved without doubt that the benefits of organic food are real. I suffered stomach problems and a mild, background anxiety for most of my life. When I made the switch to organic food those problems disappeared - no more stomach problems or anxiety. Now, I live without the constant anticipation of stomach upsets, and feel far, far calmer.

I don't think publishing that little piece of research would convince the nation of the benefits of organic food though...

How about this then?

Nutritional value of food produced organically

...Some organic foods, including fruit, vegetables and milk, may be more nutritious than non-organic produce, according to an investigation by British scientists. Guardian report

This is from The Guardian, the newspaper that has for years been saying that not only is organic food no healthier than non-organic, but the whole industry is a cynical ploy to fleece the consumer.

It quotes the Food Safety Association (FSA), the so called guardians of our food-related health, when it wants to add weight to its argument. Well, the FSA have been ominously quiet about this latest research, apart from to say that they will let us know what they think about it next year (2008).

The word is that the FSA is changing its attitude in favour of organic production and its benefits to human health.

Major £12,000,000 investigation funded by the European Union

This investigation was carried out over four years at various sites across Europe. The UK participant was Newcastle University. They, like all the other sites across Europe, produced crops and dairy using the organic system on one site, while doing the same using the conventional, non-organic system in an adjacent site.

In October, 2007, the preliminary results were published:

organic food research

Guardian report

Some of those who deny the benefits of organic food, might suggest that the scientists employed to carry out the research were, shall we say, encouraged to find in favour of organic food benefits? Those at the top of the food (money and power)chain might be waiting to jump on the organic food bandwagon ($24 billion spent on organic food by consumers last year. £2 billion in the UK).

No! Those at the top, the corporations, are globalist. They have their fingers in the global pie. One of the main ingredients of the organic pie is that is a local community thing. In fact, by definition, organic is local, not global.

However, as the organic food industry expands corporations will no doubt move in to take it all over. By that time the benefits of organic food will be undisputed. It is then that organic standards must be upheld in order to maintain the integrity of production and make sure it stays organic.

Many other research programmes have, over recent years, concluded that organic food contains greater quantities of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. The nutritional value of food produced using organic methods is clearly higher.

So, it's fair to say that the benefits of organic food in terms of nutrition (and safety from pesticide poisoning) are real.

More confirmation that organic food is more nutritious

In the US the respected Organic Center, a Colorado based organisation that seeks to provide consumers with evidence based information on organic food, has just published its report on nutrition research (March 2008).

The report was produced by independent pharmacologists, horticulturists and analysts and took two years to complete. The results confirm, once again, that organic, plant-based food contains an average of 25% more of the 11 main beneficial nutrients.

Referring to the increase in quality and number of studies over the last few years, the Organic Centre points out that mainstream science and anti-organic campaigners can no longer say that "there is no evidence to show organic food is better..."

Read the report

Organic Food Tastes Greeeaaat!

Organic farmers generally produce food with taste as a priority. This is in contrast to conventional, intensive farmers whose priorities are speed of production, the look of the produce, and its hardiness, or ability to withstand the rigours of transport.

One of the main focusses of the organic produce movement is that 'food miles' (the distance between the area of its production and those who buy/consume it) must be kept to a minimum. In other words, organic food should be produced and available locally. This means that it is fresh and will therefore taste even better. I would suggest that the absence of toxic chemicals in the produce contributes to the improved taste too. The higher nutritional value of food produced organically may also contribute to the taste of it.

In 2001, Washington State University (WSU) completed a 6-year rsearch program on the profitability of growing apples organically. This came at a time of failing non-organic apple farms. The study's conclusions were highly significant -

organic food research

But that wasn't all -