You walk into a supermarket or go to the vegetable vendor and see vegetables of two varieties. One is the conventional grown variety and the other, its organic cousin. Needless to say, the organic variety costs more. Now, if you reach out for the organic one and your decision is solely based on ‘health’ reasons, then, think again.
A recent study conducted by the Stanford University reveals that, as an adult, organic foods might not be healthier and nutritious from the conventional variety. “There isn’t much difference between organic and conventional foods, if you’re an adult and making a decision based solely on your health,” said Dena Bravata, MD, MS, the senior author of a paper comparing the nutrition of organic and non-organic foods, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
A team led by Bravata, a senior affiliate with Stanford’s Center for Health Policy, and Crystal Smith-Spangler, MD, MS, an instructor in the school’s Division of General Medical Disciplines and a physician-investigator at VA Palo Alto Health Care System, did the most comprehensive meta-analysis to date of existing studies comparing organic and conventional foods.
They did not find strong evidence that organic foods are more nutritious or carry fewer health risks than conventional alternatives, though consumption of organic foods can reduce the risk of pesticide exposure.
Although there a common perception that organic food is better than the non-organic variety, health-wise it may be considered an open question with little evidence to prove it.
After sifting through tons of study papers and research works, Bravata’s team found little significant difference showing health benefits of organic over its counterpart. There was no consistent difference in the vitamin content between both the varieties, but in case of organic, only one content- phosphorous- was significantly higher (although phosphorous deficiency is not something common).
Organic Choice for Kids
The study found out that organic food had a 30 per cent less risk of pesticide contamination than conventionally grown fruits and vegetables. In both the cases, the levels of pesticide fell within the allowable safety limits, the study noted.
But with the case of children, the team discovered that the pesticide residue from the urine sample collected from them was lower with organic foods. Additionally, organic chicken appeared to reduce exposure to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, but the clinical significance of this is still unclear.
The aim of the study was to just shed light on the nutritional and health benefits between the two, not to discourage from making organic choices. “Our goal was to shed light on what the evidence is,” said Smith-Spangler. “This is information that people can use to make their own decisions based on their level of concern about pesticides, their budget and other considerations.”
The study encourages people to eat plenty of vegetables and fruits, unavailability of organic variety must not discourage one from excluding this from their diet.
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