Is organic food better for you?

Prima online 27.03.2007

Will eating organic food improve our lives? Nutritionist Fiona Hunter takes a look at the latest hot topic to hit our plates

Is organic food better for you? You’re about to toss a bag of carrots into your shopping trolley when you spot the organic version – they look a bit ‘iffy’, cost twice as much and might not taste any different. So is it worth paying extra or is organic food just a marketing ploy designed to make us part with more cash? There’s no doubt that organic farming methods are better for the environment, but experts are still divided as to whether organic foods are better for our health.

Do pesticide residues cause health problems?
The answer is that no one knows for sure. While reports show that, in most cases, pesticide levels in foods are well within ‘acceptable safe limits’, those in favour of organic farming say it’s impossible to predict the dangers of the ‘cocktail effect’ (the effect a mixture of pesticides over a long period of time will have on our health).

Does organic food contain more vitamins?
While some studies show that organic fruit and vegetables have higher levels of nutrients, others show there’s no significant difference. However, a recent study carried out at the University of California compared levels of phenolic compounds (powerful health-promoting phytochemicals) in corn, strawberries and other berries grown organically and those grown using pesticides. They discovered that the organic produce contained over 50 per cent more phenolic compounds than the conventionally grown crops. One theory is plants produce phytochemicals to protect themselves from pests and disease, so crops grown without artificial pesticides may need to develop higher levels of natural pesticides to survive.

Does it taste better?
Not all organic food will taste better. Taste tests produce conflicting results, although organic carrots, celery, tomatoes, soft fruits, meat and poultry all usually seem to come out tops.

Are you prepared to pay the price?
Organic foods are more expensive, partly because without the help of pesticides and fertilisers crop yields are smaller, and partly because, at the moment, 70 per cent of the organic produce on sale in the UK is imported.

When to go organic
Certain types of fruit and veg have more pesticide residues sprayed on them than others, especially soft fruit and stone fruit, which are prone to fungal attack. In fact, conventionally grown strawberries have the highest levels of chemical residues of any fresh produce. Leafy vegetables, such as lettuce and spinach, are also likely to contain more pesticide because it gets trapped in the leaves.

So what should you definitely buy organic?
Apples, celery, grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, raspberries, spinach, strawberries, lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, bananas

And I think the following are alright to buy as conventionally grown...
Asparagus, avocados, garlic, broccoli, cauliflower, kiwi fruit, mangoes, onions, papayas, pineapples, sweetcorn, peas, oranges, peppers, aubergines