Is organic food better?

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) released a report last year claiming organic food was no healthier than conventionally farmed food. In light of this report, Hannah Fox looks at whether organic food is better…

Yes

When the FSA report was published, the Soil Association, the UK’s leading organic organisation was disappointed. ‘The report disguised the fact that, in the case of almost every nutrient the researchers looked at, organic food came out better,’ says Clio Turton from the Soil Association. ‘For example, beta-carotene levels were 53.6 per cent higher and flavonoids were 38.4 per cent higher than non-organic versions of the same food.’ The Soil Association also discovered results from a major EU-funded study looking at organic and non-organic food were ignored. ‘This study found higher levels of nutritionally desirable compounds such as antioxidants and vitamins in organic food,’ says Turton.

However, the Soil Association is very keen to point out that there are bigger benefits to going organic than just your health. ‘Consumers who buy organic products are not just avoiding pesticides (the average apple may be sprayed up to 16 times with as many as 30 different pesticides), they are supporting a system that has the highest welfare standards for animals, bans genetic modification, synthetic fertilisers, the routine use of antibiotics and increases wildlife on farms,’ says Turton. The report also failed to address the long-term effects of pesticides on human health. They cite a 2006 report by the European Commission, which reported links between certain cancers, male infertility and nervous system disorders and pesticides.
One of the major reasons for going organic is the environment. ‘Organic systems, which are holistic and work with nature, are leading the way for a low-carbon farming future. We encourage the use of solar-powered fertility through crops like red clover that fix nitrogen into the soil, rather than relying on oil-based inputs such as fertilisers,’ says Turton. ‘This is better for our health and the health of the planet.’

No

A report commissioned by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and carried out by researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine decided that organic food is no healthier and provides no significant nutritional benefit compared to conventionally produced food. ‘The review compared the nutrient content of organic and conventional food and assessed the nature and importance of any differences,’ says Dr Michelle McQuillan, an organics expert from the FSA.
The agency has said that it commissioned the research in order to provide consumers with accurate information about the food available to them, based on the most up-to-date scientific evidence. ‘The Agency supports consumer choice and is neither pro nor anti organic food,’ adds McQuillan. ‘We recognise that there are many reasons why people choose to eat organic, such as animal welfare or environmental concerns.’
Critics have said the report leaves out some studies and fails to address the issue of pesticides being used on conventionally grown food. However, McQuillan points out that their findings were based only on studies that met the minimum basic research criteria. ‘Unfortunately many studies were of very poor quality and were deemed unsatisfactory,’ says McQuillan. ‘What’s more, the paper did not look into pesticides as they are rigorously assessed and any residues found in food are closely monitored. The use of pesticides in conventional food production does not pose an unacceptable risk to human health and helps ensure a plentiful supply of food all year round.’
The FSA has emphasised that what is most important for them is that people eat a healthy balanced diet, low in sugar and salt, and that you aim to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day – whether organic or conventionally grown.

Healthy verdict
Healthy believes you need to look at the bigger picture when it comes to organic food. The issue of whether organic food is more nutrient-rich than conventional food or not, should not blind you to the other good reasons for going organic. It seems clear that taking small steps towards increasing the amount of organic food that you eat today could have a big impact on the environment of tomorrow.