Study Shows Organic Food Is Beneficial

A recent study concluded that organic fruits and vegetables provide more nutrition than conventionally grown produce. Benefits include an increased amount of antioxidants and decreased amounts of cadmium, a potentially toxic metal. 

 

Antioxidants help prevent cell damage. The organic produce delivered between 20 to 40 percent higher antioxidant activity.

 

The study also indicated that pesticides were more abundant in conventional foods. The study stated, “The frequency of occurrence of pesticide residues was found to be four times higher in conventional crops, which also contained significantly higher concentrations of the toxic metal Cd [Cadmium]." 

 

Cadmium is a metal that can enter the body in various ways, including inhalation and through food. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) stated that consuming “very high cadmium levels severely irritates the stomach, leading to vomiting and diarrhea, and sometimes death.” Consuming lower levels of Cd for longer periods of time may also lead to kidney and bone damage, according to the ATSDR.

 

The study was comprised of a  meta-analyses based on 343 peer-reviewed publications.  

 

Click to See Our Sources

“Are Organic Vegetables More Nutritious After All?” by Dan Charles, National Public Radio, NPR.org, 7/11/14

“Higher Antioxidant and Lower Cadmium Concentrations and Lower Incidence of Pesticide Residues in Organically Grown Crops” by M. Baranski, et al,, British Journal of Nutrition, 7/15/14

“Public Health Statement for Cadmium” Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Center for Disease Control, ATSDR.cdc.gov, 9/12

Contributor

Pamela Bump

Pamela is the Audience Growth Manager for the HubSpot Blog and holds an M.S. in Media Ventures from Boston University. Before HubSpot, she was Taste for Life’s first Web Editor & Social Media Expert and Harvard Business Review’s first Growth Editor.  In her roles, she’s managed content strategy, social media, and audience growth tactics.

Although her career is focused on digital marketing and editorial innovation, she continues to write for TFL to quench her thirst for food blogging and health journalism.