Most modern people know that organic farming is better for habitats. However, many are unaware of the benefits of organic food for their bodies. Organic food offers so many health benefits that it would be difficult to list them all, but these are the top seven.
-
Organic vegetables contain compounds that fight heart disease.
According to Food to Live, the link between salicylic acid supplementation and lowered cardiovascular risk is well known. They said, “For this reason, many doctors are beginning to recommend that adults take a low dose salicylic acid, or aspirin, supplement. However, salicylic acid is naturally present in organic vegetables in the dose needed to lower the risk of heart disease [1]. This may be why populations that eat a great deal of organic vegetables have lower heart disease rates.”
-
Organic produce contains more vitamins.
Several studies and meta-analyses have found that organic produce has higher amounts of vitamins, especially vitamins C and A [2]. These vitamins are important as co-factors for important cellular processes as well as antioxidants. Many Americans are nutritionally depleted and must take vitamin supplements to maintain health, so getting more vitamins in organic food is an important step toward good health.
-
Organic food does not contain neurotoxins.
Did you know that the same pesticides used on conventional foods were used as neurotoxic agents for chemical warfare in World War II [3]? Organophosphates are potent poisons that act by stopping essential brain processes. People who eat conventional produce ingest these every time they eat. Even low doses over time may have an effect on neurological function.
-
Organic produce may reduce cancer risk.
Antioxidants have been identified as an important way of reducing cancer risk. Organic food has more antioxidants than conventional, which can substantially lower cancer risk over a lifetime [2]. In addition, organic food does not have pesticides, insecticides, and herbicides, many of which have been identified by the FDA as potentially causing cancer.
-
Organic food does not contain heavy metals.
Heavy metals have no place in a human diet and are toxic even in moderate to low doses. However, they often build up in soil that is conventionally farmed. Organic farming practices lead to less soil build up due to crop rotation and other environmentally friendly agricultural methods. As a result, organic produce is lower in heavy metals [4].
-
Organic produce has not been irradiated.
Irradiation of foods can kill pathogenic germs and is thus becoming more common [5]. However, the long term health effects have not been studied and thus are unknown. Organic food is not irradiated and thus presents no potential risk from radiation residues.
-
Organic meat and dairy are free of artificial hormones and antibiotics.
Conventional meat and dairy contain measurable levels of hormones and antibiotics that are not present in organic food [6]. The effects of these are myriad. Artificial hormones have been linked to earlier puberty and higher rates of certain cancers. Antibiotics in meat and dairy may be enough to kill probiotic bacteria that are necessary for good health. Conventional meat and dairy come with a side dose of chemicals that simply don’t belong in a human body.
There is no bad reason to choose organic food. Whether you care about animal welfare, the environment, or your own health, buying organic food is a scientifically proven good choice.
References
[1] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11876493
[2] http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/16/science/stanford-organic-food-study-and-vagaries-of-meta-analyses.html?_r=0
[3] http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1175139-overview
[4] http://www.ncl.ac.uk/press.office/press.release/item/new-study-finds-significant-differences-between-organic-and-non-organic-food
[5] http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/divisions/dfbmd/diseases/irradiation_food/
[6] http://www.webmd.com/diet/safer-food-healthier-you
