Natural Health Help

It makes a lot of simple common sense that when we eat food with the residues of chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides on it, we are swallowing tiny but consistent amounts of what is essentially poison. And we know these residues build up, in our body tissues, just like the mercury builds up in the tuna. And so it makes sense to eat organically raised food as much as possible, just to avoid as much of the bad stuff as possible.
Now it is also really clear that the plants themselves are healthier, that is, they have more of what is strengthening and protective, when they are grown by organic methods. And so when we eat them, we enjoy the same strengthening and protective health benefits.

More than a decade of research from all over the world confirms that organic fruit and vegetables are better for you than conventionally grown crops. According to a July 2007 report, a team headed by Dr Alyson Mitchell, a food chemist at the University of California, measured the amount of two flavonoids - quercetin and kaempferol - in dried tomato samples that had been collected as part of a long-term study on agricultural methods.

A ten-year study comparing organic tomatoes with conventionally grown tomatoes found almost double the level of flavonoids - an important type of antioxidant- in the organic tomatoes. Flavonoids have been shown to reduce high blood pressure, lowering the risk of heart disease and stroke. On average they found 79% flavonoid in conventional tomatoes and 97% flavonoid content in the organic tomatoes.

Writing in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the science team said nitrogen in the soil may be the key. Drawing a similar conclusion, New Scientist magazine reported that the different levels of flavonoids in tomatoes are probably due to the absence of fertilizers in organic farming.

Flavonoids are produced as a defense mechanism that can be triggered by nutrient deficiency, such as a lack of nitrogen in the soil. The inorganic nitrogen in conventional fertilizer is easily available to plants and so, the researchers think that the lower levels of flavonoids in conventional crops are probably caused by over-fertilization. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) says there is some evidence that flavonoids can help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and they are currently carrying out a study to look at the health benefits in more detail. Flavonoids have also been linked with reduced rates of some types of cancer and dementia.

Peter Melchett, Soil Association policy director said: “We welcome the now rapidly growing body of evidence which shows significant differences between the nutritional composition of organic and non-organic food.

“This is the second recent American study to find significant differences between organic and non-organic fruit…These findings also confirm recent European research, which showed that organic tomatoes, peaches and processed apples all have higher nutritional quality than non-organic.”

“As further scientific evidence emerges from new research looking at differences between organic and non-organic food, the Soil Association will be asking the FSA to keep their nutritional advice to consumers under review.”

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