[SproutRawFood] Organic Food & Antioxidants

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Organic Food and Antioxidants

 

HCWH Food (hcwhfood)

 

Cancer-Fighting Antioxidant Levels in Organic Foods 30% Higher Than

Conventional Foods

 

Organic Center Report Indicates Organic Foods Have Elevated Levels of

Antioxidants

 

News Release For more information, contact:

Charles Benbrook, Chief Scientist, Organic Center

(208) 263-5236; cbenbrook, or

Lisa Bell, Crescendo Communications

(303) 527-0203; lisa

 

Certain Organic Farming and Food Processing Techniques Can Increase

Antioxidant Levels

 

FOSTER, R.I. January 26, 2005 - The Organic Center's second State of

Science Review (SSR) concludes that organic farming methods have the

potential to elevate average antioxidant levels, especially in fresh

produce. Charles Benbrook, Ph.D., compiled and analyzed existing

scientific information for his report, Elevating Antioxidant Levels

Through Organic Farming and Food Processing. The report reveals that

on average, antioxidant levels were about 30 percent higher in

organic food compared to conventional food grown under the same

conditions. An executive summary and the entire report can be found

at: http://www.organic-center.org/science.htm?articleid=54.

 

The report's findings are particularly useful for consumers who wish

to consume higher levels of antioxidants in fresh fruits and

vegetables, without additional caloric intake. The USDA is currently

recommending higher daily intake of fruits and vegetables, especially

those that are antioxidant rich. The report's tables include rankings

of common foods according to their total antioxidant capacity per

calorie and per typical serving. Consumers who seek out foods high

in antioxidant content can meet recommended antioxidant intake levels

with less than 10 percent of their daily caloric intake.

 

" Because of the many potential health benefits associated with

antioxidant consumption, increasing average daily antioxidant intake

through the diet has emerged as an important health goal, " says

Benbrook. " This goal was a major factor shaping the new USDA Dietary

Guidelines for Americans, which increase the average recommended

intake of fruits and vegetables to at least nine servings per day

from the original five*. By generating higher concentrations of

antioxidants in fresh produce and other organic foods, organic

farming can help people increase their daily consumption of

antioxidants without a proportional increase in calories. "

 

This report reviews, among other data, 15 quantitative comparisons of

antioxidant levels in organic versus conventional fruit and

vegetables. Organically grown produce had higher levels in 13 out of

15 cases. On average, the organic crops contained about one-third

higher antioxidant and/or phenolic content than comparable

conventional produce. Several studies found levels of specific

vitamins, flavonoids or antioxidants in organic foods to be two or

three times the level found in matched samples of conventional foods.

In studies making direct comparisons of levels of antioxidants in

organic versus conventional produce, higher levels are often found in

organic produce but the converse is rarely true.

 

Organic farming techniques can increase antioxidant content

 

A wide range of factors can influence the mix of antioxidants that a

plant manufactures, as well as the levels the plant produces at any

given point.

 

In general, factors that impose stress on plants tend to trigger a

plant's innate defense mechanisms and these mechanisms are driven by

and/or entail the synthesis of antioxidants. Studies reviewed in this

SSR provide evidence that several core practices on organic fruit and

vegetable farms -- use of compost, cover crops, slow release forms of

nitrogen -- can increase antioxidant and polyphenol content compared

to conventional practices that depend on commercial fertilizers and

pesticides. The prohibition of pesticides in organic farming

practices provides additional benefits to consumers who choose

organic.

 

" Harvesting fruits and vegetables at optimal ripeness and consuming

them in less-processed forms, without removing skins or peals, will

preserve a greater portion of their antioxidants, " says

Benbrook. " The outer layers of fruits and vegetables generally

contain the highest concentrations of antioxidants, but many

consumers peal their conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables to

help reduce levels of pesticide residues. Seeking out organic produce

can therefore deliver a dual benefit to consumers by maximizing

antioxidant intake and minimizing pesticide dietary exposure. "

 

Organic processing methods may also increase antioxidant levels. There

are significant differences between some of the food processing

methods and technologies used in manufacturing conventional foods in

contrast to those allowed and used in producing organic processed

foods. Some of these differences are known to have an impact on

antioxidant levels.

 

For example, the synthetic chemical hexane is often used in

extraction oils from crops in conventional oil processing plants, but

is prohibited in organic oil processing. Hexane is known to promote

removal of certain antioxidants.

 

High-temperature and high-pressure processing technologies also tend

to remove significant portions of the antioxidants present in fresh

foods. Organic processing plants often use lower pressure, cold-

pressing methods to extract juices and oils. The resulting food

products are generally richer in flavor and retain more nutrients,

including antioxidants. Though there is much more to learn, the

current state of science supports the conclusion that organic farming

methods can and often do result in higher antioxidant levels in

fruits and vegetables. This health benefit for consumers joins the

list of other well-documented reasons to buy organic, including the

reduction of farm worker and consumer exposures to pesticides, the

impacts of pesticides on the environment, and the prevention of

problems associated with hormone and antibiotic use in livestock

farming. Many consumers report that they enjoy the richer flavors in

organic food and instinctively sense that organic foods are better

for them; this SSR confirms that there are good reasons to focus

additional scientific resources on gaining a more comprehensive

understanding of the taste and health-oriented benefits associated

with elevating average antioxidant levels in food.

 

Research on antioxidant levels in organically grown food is among the

Organic Center's top research priorities. The Center has initiated and

funded three new research projects in 2004 focused on the impact of

organic farming methods and food processing technologies on the

antioxidant content of food. Detailed information about the Center's

antioxidant-related projects can be found at

 

www.organic-center.org/stateofscience.htm.

 

###

*Source: 2005 USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans;

http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines.

 

 

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