Study: Organics no healthier than other foods

Study: Organics no healthier than other foods

A major review of research findings over 50 years has concluded that organic food is neither healthier nor more nutritional than food raised conventionally.

The review of 162 studies, commissioned by Britain's Food Standards Agency , found no differences in most nutrients — including in vitamin C, calcium and iron — from both kinds of crops. The same was true for meat, dairy and eggs.

Some differences were found — nitrogen and phosphorus levels — but the report said were most probably resulted from fertilizers and ripeness at harvest, with no likely benefits.

One big "however": The study, conducted by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, did not examine pesticide residue, use of antibiotics or the environmental issues of food grown naturally. That comparison falls to scientists trained in other disciplines.

The findings appear in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Organic producers say the study misses the big point about why consumers are increasingly turning to foods grown without chemicals or drugs.

"We don't dispute what they found. We don't make health claims based on the nutrition of organic food. But we are saying they contain less of the things that might hurt, like chemicals," Laura Telford, national director of Canadian Organic Growers, told The National Post. "You can make credible claims about the benefits of organic food without saying they are nutritionally superior."

Read up on the details from The (London) Telegraph, BBC, Reuters or Los Angeles Times, among others.

The (London) Times asked its readers about whether they think organic food is a waste of money. What do you all think?

Posted by Michael Winter at 07:15 PM/ET, July 29, 2009 in Health/Science, Research

http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/20 ... PageReturn

How much money have people sent on these overpriced Organic Foods?

Actually, I pay the same at the health food store as I do at the local groceries. At least I know there are no weird chemicals used in the crops and meat. Antibiotics are a big concern for me. Many of our shrimp in restaurants are farm-raised in China. Simply, shrimp don't take to farming real well and need antibiotics just to stay alive. Many of those antibiotics are banned in food stuff in this country, but since we only inspect a few percent of cargo brought into this country, they and other countries are dumping, ruining our fisheries as well as other businesses.
Next time you go to a restaurant and order seafood, ask where it came from and their closest clue is that it came from the distributor.
Organic may not be more nutrient-rich, but I know it am not getting nifty chemicals.
From Reuters:
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddly...24113920070726

This doesn't make sense to me, doesn't it seem like food without chemicals would be better for you?

The less chemicals, antibiotics and hormones in your food the better!