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Studies Show, Organic’s Got It! By Bridget O’Meara
We all know that organic food is good for us. We know that organic food looks, smells and tastes better than conventionally grown food and that we feel better, healthier and more energetic, when we eat it. In recent years, some exciting new research has come out that proves what so many of us already know. Here is a review of articles that discuss some of those studies and their interesting, if not surprising, findings. Use this information on your website, in brochures and other marketing materials (and perhaps even in conversation with skeptical family members, friends and neighbors) to show proof that organic is valuable on many counts.
More of What You Want…
“Elevating Antioxidant Levels in Food through Organic Farming and Food Processing,” Charles Benbrook, 2005, The Organic Center for Education and Promotion; summary of a review of recent studies conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Antioxidants are chemicals found in plants that have been found to prevent or reduce tissue damage in cells and can play a role in promoting cardiovascular health, slowing the growth of cancerous tumors, lessening the
risk and severity of degenerative diseases, and delaying the onset of Type 2 diabetes. One study measured the antioxidant capacity per calorie of "very high," "high," "moderate," and "low" antioxidant groups established by USDA researchers. Among the foods found to be richest in antioxidants were blueberries, plums, broccoli, strawberries and red cabbage. Several studies found organically grown plants contain higher levels of antioxidants than those that are conventionally grown. A wide range of factors may account for this; but Benbrook states that, "in general, factors that impose stress on the plants tend to trigger innate defense and wound-healing mechanisms." Organically grown plants produce more antioxidants because they must survive and thrive without synthetic protection against pests and weed competition. In addition, although consuming unprocessed plant foods is most beneficial, the lower pressure, cold-processing methods of organic food production retains more nutrients (including antioxidants) than high-temperature and high-pressure technologies.
“Organic Milk is Higher in Vitamins,” 2005, BBC report on study conducted at University of Newcastle and presented at The Soil Association’s annual meeting. Milk was tested from cows farmed organically and conventionally. The study found that cows farmed organically produced milk that is, on average, 50% higher in Vitamin E, 75% higher in beta carotene, and two to three times higher in the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthine, which protect the body from “free radicals – bad chemicals in the blood.” Organic milk also has higher levels of Omega-3 essential fatty acids, which are believed to help provide protection from coronary heart disease. The study concluded that drinking a pint of organic milk a day would provide 17.5% of the required daily intake of Vitamin E for women, and 14% of that for men, and provide as much beta carotene as a portion of vegetables. Researchers believe organic cows have more nutritious milk because they have more room to graze.
“Tests Show Lab Rats Thrive on Organic Food,” 2005; article in The Scotsman. A team from the Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences conducted a study on 36 rats, feeding one group organic food, the other conventionally grown food. Both groups were monitored to make sure the level of nutrients were the same; both were also given vitamin supplements and all thrived during the experiment. Yet scientists found that "rats fed organically produced food were measurably healthier, in that they slept better, had stronger immune systems and were less obese." The scientists were careful not to “overstate” their findings, saying they did not know why organic food seemed to be healthier for rats.
“More Omega-3 in Organic Milk,” 2004, Organic Milk Suppliers Cooperative; a study by the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research at Aberystwyth, Wales, first published in Dairy Science Journal. Omega 3 fatty acids, which cannot be made by the body and must be obtained from food, are essential for good health, playing an important role in maintaining heart health, combating the effects of arthritis and developing healthy brains in unborn children. The study, led by Dr. Richard Dewhurst found that organic milk contains at least 64% more Omega-3 than conventional milk. Dewhurst said; "Our previous research has shown that milk from cows fed clover can contain up to 240% more Omega-3 fatty acids than milk from cows fed grass and concentrates. Organic dairy farmers feed much higher levels of red clover because they use it as an alternative to using synthetic chemical fertilizers to ensure lush pastures." (Further research carried out at the University of Aberdeen in 2004 found yet higher levels of Omega-3 in organic milk—up to 71% more Omega 3 than non-organic milk).
Organic Farming, Food Quality and Human Health, Shane Heaton, 2001; a summary of this comprehensive review of studies conducted in Europe and the United States in 2001 is posted on the Soil Association’s website. The report reveals “significant differences between organically and non-organically grown food in terms of food safety, primary nutrients, secondary nutrients and health outcomes demonstrated by feeding trials.” Organically grown food contains higher levels of vitamins and minerals as well as phytonutrients, which can be effective against cancer. Although all nutrients on average are higher in organic produce, the case of vitamin C, magnesium, iron and phosphorus is particularly significant. Heaton speculates that this is owing to differences in water content of produce (conventional being grown for maximum weight), in levels of nutrient-producing stress, and in soil management practices. Data show that over the past half century there’s been an alarming decline in mineral levels in fruit and vegetables, which may be directly related to a decline in soil health. Nutrient levels are “85% higher in organic soils.” Organic food is also lower in pesticides, nitrates and additives [see below].
Less of What You Don’t Want…
“Organic Diets Significantly Lower Children's Dietary Exposure to Organophosophorus Pesticides,” Chensheng Lu et al., 2005 Environmental Health Perspectives. This study is significant because it attempted to assess the absorption of pesticides from food into the body. Conducted in 2003 by scientists from Emory University and University of Washington, with support of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the study measured pesticides levels in 724 urine samples of 23 children living in Seattle, Washington, for 15 consecutive days. During the first five-day phase children ate their usual diets, which consisted of conventional food products. Then, for the next five-day phase, parents replaced conventional food items (mostly fresh fruits, vegetables and juices) with their organic counterparts. In the final phase, children went back to conventional diets. The study found that pesticide levels, which were high initially as children ate their conventional diets, were undetectable during the organic phase and increased again once conventional foods were reintroduced. Organophosphorus pesticides have been linked with a range of conditions, including cancer, decreased male fertility, chronic fatigue syndrome, and Parkinson's disease. The study concluded that switching to an organic diet provides "dramatic and immediate protection" against health problems associated with pesticide exposure. (An earlier University of Washington study entitled “Organophosphorus Pesticide Exposure of Urban and Suburban Pre-school Children with Organic and Conventional Diets,” published in 2002, found that children who ate conventional diets had pesticide concentrations in their urine 9 times higher than the children who ate organic.)
“Body Burden,” Alan Greene, 2005, article on DrGreene.com; summary and discussion of Body Burden: Pollution in People, a joint project of Environmental Working Group, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, and Commonweal. The Body Burden study tested 210 chemicals in a group of nine volunteers and found an average of 91 industrial compounds, pollutants, and other chemicals in the blood and urine, with a total of 167 chemicals found in the group. Of the 167 chemicals found, 76 cause cancer in humans or animals, 94 are toxic to the brain and nervous system, and 79 cause birth defects or abnormal development (their combined dangers are unknown; but recent research suggest two chemicals can do hundreds of times the damage as one). None of the participants worked with chemicals or lived near an industrial facility. Diet is a major source of potential chemical exposure. Greene points out that the 210 chemicals tested represent only a fraction of what people are exposed to: “More than 500 chemicals are used in the U.S. as active ingredients in pesticides alone. More than 3,200 chemicals are regularly added to foods.”
“Minimizing Pesticide Dietary Exposure through Consumption of Organic Foods,” Charles Benbrook, 2004, The Organic Center for Education and Promotion; summary of a review of studies conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA, with the aim of improving public health, is making an effort to increase consumption of fruits and vegetables. However,
pesticides are pervasive in the U.S. food supply and those who eat five or six servings of fruits and vegetables daily are likely to ingest six or more pesticide residues on most days. While even most certified organic samples contained low levels of pesticides (possibly from wind drift or water contamination), the USDA residue testing techniques found that conventional
fruits and vegetables are: three to four times more likely to contain pesticides than organic produce; eight to eleven times more likely to contain multiple pesticides than organic samples; and contain residues three to ten times higher than corresponding residues in organic produce.
Organic Farming, Food Quality and Human Health, Shane Heaton, 2001, The Soil Association; a summary of this comprehensive review of studies conducted in Europe and the United States in 2001 is posted on the Soil Association’s website. The report reveals that conventionally grown food is higher in pesticides, some of which have been banned and many of which are even more dangerous in combination. According to the research, “nine out of ten non-organic oranges tested…were found to have residues of more than one pesticide and as many as seven different pesticides were found on a single lettuce.” Conventionally processed food also contains additives not found in organic food. More than 500 additives are permitted for use in non-organically processed foods, whereas around 30 are permitted in organic processing. Organic standards “prohibit additives and ingredients, which have been linked to allergic reactions, headaches, asthma, growth retardation, hyperactivity in children, heart disease and osteoporosis.” Additional hazards of non-organic production are the potential harm from nitrates, the long-term affects of growth hormone (banned in Europe, but not in the U.S.), the over-use of antibiotics, and the unknown affects of GMOs.(A 2003 animal feeding study, published in Nutrition and Health, found that the bacteria in genetically modified plant material can transfer into gut bacteria at detectable levels, with harmful effects on gut lining, after just one GM meal.)
Taken together, these studies validate a core principle of organic agriculture—i.e., that everything is connected and the health of the body is inextricably linked to the health of the farm. Because organic farming and processing are proving to be the most effective way to ensure food quality, funding for new studies is ultimately an investment in public health. Some groups that are doing and/or funding research are: Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE), which provides producer grants as well as funding for research and education; the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) which has in the past ten years funded over one million dollars in organic research; the OTA’ s Organic Center for Education and Promotion; and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which in 2005 and 2006 will spend $4,700,000 through its Integrated Organic Program to support research on issues pertinent to organic production. To keep up with the latest research, look for updates on the websites of these agencies and organizations.
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