Why Buy Organic? by Nancy Addison, CHC, AADP

           I love organic food.

One big reason to buy or grow organic food is because it has more nutrients. The key to health is in the nutrients we obtain from our food.

According to the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, organic food is more nutrient dense. There was a ten year comparison study of organic and conventional crops and the content of flavonoids in tomatoes. In fact there were other studies on eggplants, wild rice, apples, onions, carrots and potatoes and onions that had similar results. I will note the articles below.  The study on tomatoes found that organic tomatoes had 79 to 97 % more nutrients than the non organic ones. The non organic tomatoes did not change much over time, but because of the way the organic soil replenishes and rebuilds itself, the tomatoes from the organic garden had an increase of flavonoids over time.

So my conclusion would be,  food that is grown organic has more flavonoids in it and therefore is a better buy in the long run for anyone wanting their food to be as nutrient dense as possible. So, when you see that the organic food is more expensive, think about the amount of nutrients available in this food and also, the fact that the organic food doesn’t have poison on it or in it is a definite plus. Knowing this may make it a little easier to make that choice between organic and non organic. Also, just a thought, the farmer growing the organic food is not poisoning the environment. He is also, not going to survive as an organic farmer, if he doesn't have a market for his food. 

I feel these are all good reasons to buy organic produce.

When I buy it in season, it can actually be the same price or even less expensive than the non organic produce. My plan for my food shopping is to buy my fresh produce in season, buy organic and buy locally. It will be more nutrient dense and fresher. What we eat becomes our cells and our blood. Children are more affected by what they eat, because their organs are still forming. So, if you want healthy cells and blood, you can start with the quality of the food. Buying organic is a great way to support your health and the environment.

References: Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry:

1. Fruit Quality and Bioactive Compounds with Antioxidant Activity of Tomatoes Grown On –Farm: Comparison of Organic and Conventional Management Systems-  2007, 55, ( 15), PP. 6154-6159- Publication date ( web): June 23, 2007,  by Mitchell, Hong, Koh, Barrett, Bryant, Denison, and Kaffka.
2. Effects of Organic and Conventional Growth Systems on the Content of Flavanoids in Onions and Phenolic Acids in Carrots and Potatoes 2010 58 ( 19), 10323-10329
3. Effects of Organic and Conventional Growth Systems on the Composition of Eggplant Fruits. 2010 58 ( 11), 6833-6840
4. AntioxidantActivity of Commercial Wild Rice and Identification of Flavonoid Compounds in Active Fractions 2009 57 ( 16), 7543-7551
5. Three-Year Comparison of the Polyphenol Contents and Antioxidant Capacities in Organically and Conventionally Produced Apples  2009 57, (11), 4598-4605