Research studies have provided mixed results in terms of providing clear information regarding the benefits of organically grown vegetables versus their more conventionally grown counterparts. A review article by Walter Crinnion N.D., published in the April 2010 issue of "Alternative Medicine Review," suggests many benefits from consuming organic vegetables. However, another article, published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in July 2010, could not find sufficient evidence in the current literature to support the superiority of organic vegetables over non-organically grown ones. Additional studies do indicate some benefits in eating organic vegetables.
Increased Nutritional Value
A study published in June 2010 in the "Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry" compared organically grown eggplants and conventionally grown eggplants. These Spanish researchers studied the organic versus conventional eggplants over two years and found that the organically grown ones contained more healthful minerals than the conventionally grown ones did. Walter Crinnion, N.D., in his article on the benefits of organic foods, states that measurements on potatoes grown organically in Czechoslovakia versus non-organically grown ones showed that the organic potatoes had higher levels of ascorbic acid.
More Antioxidants/Phytochemicals
The eggplant study published in June 2010 in the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry" found that organically grown eggplants contained more phenolic compounds than the non-organically grown ones. Phenols are chemicals in plants that are essentially antioxidants. This is one of the few studies that found potential antioxidant benefits from organic vegetables. Walter Crinnion, N.D., in his April 2010 article, sights very little evidence to support that organically grown vegetables contain more antioxidants than conventionally grown ones.
Less Pesticide Residue
An Egyptian study, published in March 2009 in the journal of "Food Chemistry and Toxicology," of organically grown potatoes, found that conventionally grown potatoes had almost two times the amount of pesticides and heavy metal contamination than the organically grown ones did. Walter Crinnion, N.D. states that measurements taken by the USDA and other consumer agencies produced data showing that organically grown foods had one-third the amount of chemical residues found in conventionally raised foods.
References
- "Alternative Medicine Review"; Organic Foods Contain Higher Levels of Certain Nutrients, Lower Levels of Pesticides, and May Provide Health Benefits for the Consumer; Walter J. Crinnion; April 2010
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Nutrition-Related Health Effects of Organic Foods: A Systematic Review; Alan D. Dangour, Karen Lock, Arabella Hayter, Andrea Aikenhead, Elizabeth Allen and Ricardo Uauy; July 2010
- "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry"; Effects of Organic and Conventional Cultivation Methods on Composition of Eggplant Fruits; Maria D. Raigon, Adrian Rodriguez-Burruezo and Jaime Prohens; June 2010
- "Food Chemistry and Toxicology"; Evaluation of Some Pollutant Levels in Conventionally and Organically Farmed Potato Tubers and Their Risks to Human Health; 2009; Sameeh A. Mansour, Mohamed H. Belal, Asem A. K. Abou-Arab, Hany M. Ashour, Marwa F. Gad; March 2009
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