Thursday, September 6, 2012

Organic food is no better for you than than traditionally grown food but it may taste better, researchers have said.


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Despite the perception that organic food, that has been grown without the use of artificial fertilisers, pesticides and other chemicals, is more somehow purer, more nutritious and virtuous, scientists have said there is little evidence that it is healthier.
A review of 237 research studies into organic food found the products were 30 per cent less likely to pesticide residue than conventionally grown fruit and vegetables but were not necessarily 100 per cent free of the chemicals.
They found no consistent differences in the vitamin content of organic products.
There were higher levels of phosphorus in organically grown food but the researchers said this is of little importance as so few people are deficient in this.
The only other significant finding was that some studies suggested that organic milk contained higher levels of omega-3 fatty acid, which is thought to be important for brain development in infants and for cardiovascular health. 

 Dr Crystal Smith-Spangler, a teacher at Stanford's Centre for Health Policy, said: "Some believe that organic food is always healthier and more nutritious,.
"We were a little surprised that we didn't find that."
"Our goal was to shed light on what the evidence is.
"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." 

She said the overall message was that people needed to eat more fruit and vegetables, no matter how they were grown, because most Western diets are deficient.
The research was published in the journal, Annals of Internal Medicine.
Dr Dena Bravata, a senior affiliate with Stanford's Center for Health Policy, said: "There isn't much difference between organic and conventional foods, if you're an adult and making a decision based solely on your health. 

"If you look beyond health effects, there are plenty of other reasons to buy organic instead of conventional."
She said taste, concerns about the effects of conventional farming practices on the environment and animal welfare as some of the reasons people choose organic products. 

The group found two studies comparing children consuming organic and conventional diets did find lower levels of pesticide residues in the urine of children on organic diets, though the levels of urinary pesticides in both groups of children were below the allowable safety thresholds. 

Also, organic chicken and pork appeared to reduce exposure to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, but the researchers said the health implications of this were not clear. 

The group said the research was difficult because of the various ways organic food was tested, other factors that affect nutrient levels such as soil and weather and the effect that organic farming methods may have such as using manure as fertiliser which may carry bacteria. 

Prof Alan Dangour, senior lecturer at the Nutrition and Public Health Intervention Research Unit, at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: “The Smith-Spangler paper is a careful and detailed review of reports. It again demonstrates that there are no important differences in nutrient content between organic and conventionally produced foods. 

"The Smith-Spangler paper also reviews health benefits of organic foods and like our 2010 review finds no evidence that organic foods are healthier than conventionally produced foods.
 
“However, throughout the paper the authors make it clear that the evidence base is weak and highly variable.
“Consumers select organic foods for a variety of reasons, however this latest review identifies that at present there are no convincing differences between organic and conventional foods in nutrient content or health-benefits." 

A spokesman for the Soil Associaiton said: "This US study, of limited application in Europe, found organic food helps people avoid pesticides in their food, recognised that organic milk has significantly higher levels of beneficial nutrients, and says that the market for organic food is still ‘skyrocketing’ in America. Significantly, given the rising concern about antibiotic resistance, the study found that the risk of bacteria resistant to three or more antibiotics was higher in non-organic than in organic chicken and pork. 

"However, the study only reviewed some existing studies, and omitted many, including all those not written in English.
"The scientific methodology used for the review, while suitable for comparing trials of medicines, is not right for comparing different crops. 

"A UK review paper, using the correct statistical analysis, has found that most of the differences in nutrient levels between organic and non-organic fruit and vegetables seen in this US study are actually highly significant. 

"As the study says, there are almost no long-term studies of the impact on people’s health of eating organic food, but the study does mention one Dutch Government funded long-term research project, which found that children who consumed dairy products of which more than 90 per cent were organically produced had a 36 per cent lower risk for eczema at age 2 years."




source :The Telegraph

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