Organic 'has no health benefits'

[Fab Foodie]

Organic 'has no health benefits'
Organic food is no healthier than ordinary food, a large independent review has concluded.

There is little difference in nutritional value and no evidence of any extra health benefits from eating organic produce, UK researchers found.

The Food Standards Agency who commissioned the report said the findings would help people make an "informed choice".

But the Soil Association criticised the study and called for better research.

Researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine looked at all the evidence on nutrition and health benefits from the past 50 years.


“ Without large-scale, longitudinal research it is difficult to come to far-reaching clear conclusions on this, which was acknowledged by the authors of the FSA review ”
Peter Melchett, Soil Association
Among the 55 of 162 studies that were included in the final analysis, there were a small number of differences in nutrition between organic and conventionally produced food but not large enough to be of any public health relevance, said study leader Dr Alan Dangour.

Overall the report, which is published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found no differences in most nutrients in organically or conventionally grown crops, including in vitamin C, calcium, and iron.

The same was true for studies looking at meat, dairy and eggs.

Differences that were detected, for example in levels of nitrogen and phosphorus, were most likely to be due to differences in fertilizer use and ripeness at harvest and are unlikely to provide any health benefit, the report concluded.

The review did not look at pesticides or the environmental impact of different farming practices.


Gill Fine, FSA director of consumer choice and dietary health, said: "Ensuring people have accurate information is absolutely essential in allowing us all to make informed choices about the food we eat.

"This study does not mean that people should not eat organic food.

"What it shows is that there is little, if any, nutritional difference between organic and conventionally produced food and that there is no evidence of additional health benefits from eating organic food."

She added that the FSA was neither pro nor anti organic food and recognised there were many reasons why people choose to eat organic, including animal welfare or environmental concerns.


“ Organic food is just another scam to grab more money from us ”
Ishkandar, London

Dr Dangour, said: "Our review indicates that there is currently no evidence to support the selection of organically over conventionally produced foods on the basis of nutritional superiority."

He added that better quality studies were needed.

Peter Melchett, policy director at the Soil Association said they were disappointed with the conclusions.

"The review rejected almost all of the existing studies of comparisons between organic and non-organic nutritional differences.

"Although the researchers say that the differences between organic and non-organic food are not 'important', due to the relatively few studies, they report in their analysis that there are higher levels of beneficial nutrients in organic compared to non-organic foods.

"Without large-scale, longitudinal research it is difficult to come to far-reaching clear conclusions on this, which was acknowledged by the authors of the FSA review.

"Also, there is not sufficient research on the long-term effects of pesticides on human health," he added.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/health/8174482.stm

Published: 2009/07/29 13:22:17 GMT



Discuss....

 

[PaulB]

It's a load of rubbish. It's not only what's in it, but what's not in it that matters as much. Pesticides, heavy metals etc and they even admit to not looking at this crucial element of organic food production so the "study" is hardly worth the paper it's written on. Also, I notice taste doesn't feature in that report, either.

 

[Crackle]

It's a load of rubbish. It's not only what's in it, but what's not in it that matters as much. Pesticides, heavy metals etc and they even admit to not looking at this crucial element of organic food production so the "study" is hardly worth the paper it's written on. Also, I notice taste doesn't feature in that report, either.

I agree with PaulB <goes to lie down>

Also no mention on the positives for the environment over large scale agriculture or the potential for more locally sourced produce, though the supermarkets have made a mockery of that.

Did you mean to post this in caff FF?

 

[User482]

Don't really have time, but the nutritional benefit is only one argument for organic food. I'm far more concerned about the unknown long-term impact of chemicals routinely used, the effect on the environment, biodiversity, dependence on oil and so on. From a brief scan of the report, I'm not convinced that the conclusion is supported - it's the case that we are unaware of health benefits, but given the lack of long-term research, the conclusion seems a bit premature to me.

 

[Yellow Fang]

I always supposed it was the environmental benefits rather than the health benefits that were the main attraction with organic food. Nitrogen fertliser has a lot of embedded energy, and the run-off causes oxygen depletion in rivers and so on. Also they don't use pesticides, avoiding dangerous concentrations building up along the food chain. Also the livestock have much better lives.

It is expensive though.

 

[wafflycat]

Nutritional benefit or not, that's not the reason I would buy organic. Organic is *sustainable*

 

[wafflycat]

& IIRC, it looked at ten nutrients. It didn't look at things such as pesticide/herbicide/fungicide/fertiliser residudes.. environmental impact...

The FSA supports industrial scale farming. Well there's a surprise!

 

[Bigtwin]

What a load of old crip - organic has loads of health benefits.

By the time you've paid for it, you can't afford booze or anything else bad.

 

[Gerry Attrick]

I don't give a fig what the scientists say, all I know is that it tastes so much better than supermarket carp.

 

[dellzeqq]

I don't give a fig what the scientists say, all I know is that it tastes so much better than supermarket carp.

welcome to the 'scientists, pah!' tendency.

This is a superficial report.

The review did not look at pesticides or the environmental impact of different farming practices.

Stomach cancer is on the up and up thanks to nitrogen leaching in to the water supply. Whether organic food is 'good for us' in the nutritional sense or not, there has to be a case for saying that we're storing up a whole heap of trouble going the way we're going.

Having said that......things are a lot worse in the States. If you plan on spending any time there, keep a check on your manboobs, boys.

 

[mangaman]

Wow - a thread with 100% agreement - so far.

I get my veg locally fron an organic farm and I was talking with the owner yesterday.

Actually I'm not nearly as bothered about the organicness of my veg than she is. I want seasonal, tasty and local veg. which after much trial and error the smallholding in question are the best at.

I haven't read the study but it appears to be a meta-analysis, with a number of not very rigorous trials involved.

Personally I eat beautifully tasting veg from a smallholding where I know the producers / pay less than supermarket prices / pick them up on my bike and even if the food isn't better for me I believe their smallholding is better for the biodiversity of the environment.

That's more than enough for me to never go to Tescos again

 

[661-Pete]

Some might argue, this report is a cynical effort by the food industry to defend their own interests. After all they are well represented in the FSA (search through their website).

As to health benefits or otherwise - how can we be sure? It can take generations before harmful effects of food become apparent. After all: how many years were people smoking tobacco before the dangers in that were recognized? And curious beneficial links spring up in the news now and again - and then get forgotten about. I am always the sceptic.

As to taste - well perhaps it's easier to make a quick and informed judgement. Our household is half-and-half. We have a weekly organic box (veggies) but it doesn't quite cover our needs so we top-up from market or supermarket. So we can compare directly. I can definitely state that for some foods the taste benefits of organic are quite evident and tangible - to me at least. Carrots especially: also tomatoes and green peppers (indeed I now regard supermarket peppers - those dreadful tri-coloured three-packs - as fit only for the cooking pot - if that!). Other vegetables: onions maybe, turnips, potatoes: the taste difference is less evident.

But a lot of that is down to our British supermarkets and their indifferent and (I would say) misguided sourcing. Go to a French supermarket - any branch of Intermarché will do - and taste the difference - even if you buy the food there that's not 'biologique'... It's all to do with where they source their food, how it's grown, how it's looked after on the way to the shelf...

I'm trying to be fair here, although on principle, taking into account the other factors which have been mentioned above, I'm wholly with the organic side. We shall continue to have our weekly box delivery at any rate.

 

[mangaman]

Some might argue, this report is a cynical effort by the food industry to defend their own interests. After all they are well represented in the FSA (search through their website).

As to health benefits or otherwise - how can we be sure? It can take generations before harmful effects of food become apparent. After all: how many years were people smoking tobacco before the dangers in that were recognized? And curious beneficial links spring up in the news now and again - and then get forgotten about. I am always the sceptic.

As to taste - well perhaps it's easier to make a quick and informed judgement. Our household is half-and-half. We have a weekly organic box (veggies) but it doesn't quite cover our needs so we top-up from market or supermarket. So we can compare directly. I can definitely state that for some foods the taste benefits of organic are quite evident and tangible - to me at least. Carrots especially: also tomatoes and green peppers (indeed I now regard supermarket peppers - those dreadful tri-coloured three-packs - as fit only for the cooking pot - if that!). Other vegetables: onions maybe, turnips, potatoes: the taste difference is less evident.

But a lot of that is down to our British supermarkets and their indifferent and (I would say) misguided sourcing. Go to a French supermarket - any branch of Intermarché will do - and taste the difference - even if you buy the food there that's not 'biologique'... It's all to do with where they source their food, how it's grown, how it's looked after on the way to the shelf...

I'm trying to be fair here, although on principle, taking into account the other factors which have been mentioned above, I'm wholly with the organic side. We shall continue to have our weekly box delivery at any rate.

I agree - the science behind the report is not sufficiently robust for me

Anyway I go by taste and my supplyers grow nicer foods
I also agree about supermarkets - I spend a lot of time in Spain - all the veg in the supermarkets is loose (ie not in plastic bags) and comes in a variety of shapes / sizes

The Spanish I see pick their veg on quality grounds, not what looks all the same. Needless to say nothing has "produce of Kenya" or equivalent - it's all local

 

[Gromit]

Oh yes it does, try working on an organic farm, removing the weeds by hand. I'm feeling fitter than ever and the uns***yness of working 3 days a week makes me smile. I love my job.

 

[Ranger]

& IIRC, it looked at ten nutrients. It didn't look at things such as pesticide/herbicide/fungicide/fertiliser residudes.. environmental impact...

The FSA supports industrial scale farming. Well there's a surprise!

Please be aware that organic farmers do use fertilisers and pesticides, just a far more restricted range of them as they have to come from 'natural' sources though they can be processed.

Some of the organic pesticides can carry a higher health risk (or at least hazard assessment) than conventional chemicals, so still wash your fruit and veg!

Saying that I do get my fruit and veg from my organic local box scheme, but because I like fresh, local and seasonal produce rather than something that has been driven around the country for a couple of weeks. The organic bit is a an irrelevance to me