Among the benefits of organic food, you can now add this important one: it’s more nutritious than food grown using pesticides, herbicides and insecticides. It may reduce the risk of getting cancer, too.
A new study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that “organic crops and crop-based foods are up to 69% higher” in antioxidants than crops grown using toxic chemicals. In fact, shifting to organic fruit, vegetables and cereals, and to foods made from them, would provide additional antioxidants equivalent to eating between 1-2 extra portions of fruit and vegetables a day! Why does it matter? Many studies link antioxidants to reduced risk of heart disease and certain cancers. Eating organically can help reduce those risks.
The study also shows that organic food contains “significantly lower levels of toxic heavy metals.” Cadmium, a heavy metal that can cause a number of serious health problems, was found to be almost 50% lower in organic crops than conventionally-grown ones.
That’s not all. Pesticide residues were four times more likely to be found on conventional crops than on organic ones.
So add the nutrition and health benefits of organic agriculture to a long list of environmental benefits we enjoy when farmers skip toxic chemicals or when we grow our own organic gardens. Those environmental benefits include cleaner air, safer drinking water, protection for birds, bees, and other wildlife, and even healthier soil.
With so many benefits to growing and eating organic food, there still seems to be one barrier to choosing it: cost. In some cases, organic food can be more expensive than conventional. Here’s what we suggest to make organic food affordable. If you have other ideas, please leave them in the comments section below. Thanks!
SUMMARY OF BENEFITS OF ORGANIC FOOD
1) It’s more nutritious.
2) It offers more antioxidants.
3) It’s far less contaminated with toxic heavy metals.
4) It contains less toxic pesticide residue.
5) It protects clean air, safe drinking water, and the natural world.
For More Information
Afford Organic Food! Top Ten Organic Food $$$$ Busters
Florida Resident Shifts $1,137 to Organic Foods, Native Plants & Worm Poop
