The organic food industry is a booming business, and with the recent sale of natural-foods giant Whole Foods to Amazon, it’s expected to grow even larger in the near future. What, exactly are the health benefits of going organic? That depends on who you ask and which studies you consult.
Fewer pesticides and heavy metals
Fruits, vegetables, and grains labeled organic are grown without the use of most synthetic pesticides or fertilizers.
- A 2014 meta-analysis in the British Journal of Nutrition found that organically grown crops were not only less likely to contain detectable levels of pesticides, but because of differences in fertilization techniques, they were also 48% less chance to test positive for cadmium.
More antioxidants, in some cases
A recent six-year study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that organic onions had about a 20% higher antioxidant content than conventionally grown onions
- Previous analyses have found no difference in conventional versus organic antioxidant levels
- The research was “very well done,” says Guy Crosby, adjunct associate professor of Nutrition at the Harvard Chan School of Public Health. But he points out that this specific study “takes just one aspect of phytochemicals and shows they can be improved under organic conditions.”
Bottom line
Organic products are more expensive than conventional ones, and whether they’re really worth the extra cost is certainly a matter of choice.
- It’s also important for consumers to make educated decisions about why they choose to buy organic, says Crosby-and not to get hung up on individual studies that haven’t been supported by additional research.
More healthy fats
Organic products can have about 50% more omega-3 fatty acids, a type of unsaturated healthy fat, than conventionally produced products.
- Switching from conventional to organic products would raise consumers’ Omega-3 intake without increasing overall calories or saturated fat.
No Antibiotics or Synthetic Hormones
Conventional livestock can be fed antibiotics to protect against illness, making it easier for farmers to raise animals in crowded or unsanitary conditions
- The FDA limited the use of certain antibiotics for livestock earlier this year, but loopholes in the legislation still exist
