FOCUS ON ORGANIC FOOD QUALITY- FEEDING TRIALS

There are numerous studies and reviews revealing higher levels of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients in organic crops (Heaton 2001) but the obvious question to ask is "Are the differences sufficient to convey any greater health benefit to those consuming organic produce? " Nutritionist, Shane Heaton investigates… Without even considering the health benefits of avoiding pesticide residues in foods, there are good reasons to expect positive health benefits from consuming organic foods containing more nutrients. It's well known that higher fruit and vegetable consumption reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer and many other diseases, and most researchers now believe it's the phytonutrients in fruit and vegetables, which are 10-50 % higher in organic produce (Brandt & Molgaard 2002), that convey these benefits. The US Department of Agriculture estimates that if people consumed more nutritious diets that cancer incidence would reduce by 20%, arthritis by 50%, heart disease by 25 % and diabetes by 50 % (Welt 1992)