Q: Is organic food more nutritious or more beneficial
than conventional food?
A: Consumers of organic food cite three reasons for
choosing organic over conventional food.
•
Safety - Organic food is generally grown
without chemical fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics or hormones.
•
Environmentally friendly - Organic farming is
generally more sustainable.
•
Healthier – Consumers believe that organic
food is higher in nutritional value
•
It is true that organic foods tend to be more
sustainable and grown with fewer chemicals, but there is still debate on
whether or not organic food is healthier than conventional food.
•
Current research indicates the following:
•
A peer review of 50 studies conducted over
the last 50 years found minor nutritional differences between organic and
conventional foods.
•
One study found no difference in the body’s
ability to uptake and process dietary minerals derived from organic or
conventional foods.
•
Organic foods do carry less pesticide residue
compared to conventional foods. However,
most organic and conventional foods did not exceed government safety limits.
Current research does not indicate that organic food is
more nutritious. As the popularity of
organic food continues to grow, the debate will continue and further research
will provide greater clarity on the subject.
The following websites were used as references in answering
the question: