The Power of Organic Food

During the course of studying and researching for my diploma I come across many fascinating articles, but I wanted to share this particular one with you as I feel it really clearly illustrates the power of choosing organic food when possible.

A study, led by Newcastle university, has found that organic crops are up to 60% higher in a number of key antioxidants than crops which have been conventionally-grown. It has also shown levels of toxic heavy metals are significantly lower in organic crops.

This study was published in the British Journal of Nutrition which is a trusted and reputable publication and it actually contradicts a previously published study from 2009, commissioned by the UK Food Standards Agency. 

The study was led by Newcastle University’s Professor of Ecological Agriculture Professor Carlo Leifert who was effusive about the results:

“The evidence from this study is overwhelming – that organic food is high in antioxidants and lower in toxic metals and pesticides….This study demonstrates that choosing food produced according to organic standards can lead to increased intake of nutritionally desirable antioxidants and reduced exposure to toxic heavy metals.”

The team involved in the study found that eating only organic fruit, vegetable and cereals and food made from them would provide additional antioxidants equivalent to eating 1-2 extra portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Many of the compounds identified in the study have been linked to a reduced risk of chronic diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases and certain cancers.

I’m passionate about making small changes which add up to an overall healthier and more balanced lifestyle and it’s wonderful to know that a switch to organic foods, when you can, has been proven to make such a quantifiable difference. 

You can read the study here and find the article which alerted me to it here.