Healthy benefits of organic.

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THE BENEFITS OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE (New Research & Studies)By Sandra BestHEALTH BENEFITSIt is now fact that organic food is better for us than conventional food. Recent studies from Europe and America show organic food has higher nutritional value than conventional food. The reason is because organic agriculture focuses on soil health. Healthy soil produces healthy food, and organic growing methods maximise the nutrient density in soil through use of natural fertilisers and no, or limited, pesticide use. Food grown from soil rich in organic matter produces food with higher vitamin and mineral content. The largest study ever conducted on the nutritional value of organic food has recently been carried out in Europe. It found that organic milk has 60-80% more nutrients in the summer than conventional milk, and 50-60% more in the winter. Organic

milk has higher levels of vitamin E than milk from conventionally reared cows, and organic cheese can have twice as many nutrients as conventional cheese. Organic tomatoes, wheat, potatoes, cabbage and onions have 20-40% more antioxidants than their conventional counterparts, and organic spinach and cabbage contain more minerals (zinc, iron and copper) than conventional spinach and cabbage. (Ref.1). A recent American study showed that organic production increases antioxidant levels by an average of 30% and in some cases by as much as 50%. It found that organic fruit, has on average, higher antioxidant and polyphenol content and that organic apples show higher organoleptic quality. (Ref.2). A ten year study carried out at the University of California compared organic and non-organic tomatoes and found that the organic tomatoes had twice the quantity of antioxidants (flavonoids) that help to protect high blood pressure, thus reducing heart disease and

strokes. The study found that flavonoids quercetin and kaempferol were, on average, 79% to 97% higher respectively. (Ref.3). A Study commissioned by The Soil Association in the UK reviewed over 400 scientific papers which found organic food contained higher levels of Vitamin C, minerals and trace elements like calcium, magnesium, iron and chromium.(Ref. 4). Three independent European research projects revealed that organic tomatoes, peaches and processed apples all had higher nutritional quality than their non-organic counterparts. (Ref.5). Another UK 3 year study undertaken in the UK showed that a pint of organic milk contains on average 68% more total Omega 3 fatty acids than non-organic milk and has a ratio of Omega-6 to Omerga-3 acids beneficial to healthy. (Ref.6). And still another research study in the UK confirmed that organically reared cows, which eat high levels of fresh grass, clover pasture and grass clover silage, produced milk that

contains higher levels of omega 3 essential fatty acids.Organic agricultural methods build healthy soil by forbidding the use of pesticides and synthetic fertilisers.In Conventional agriculture - Pesticides (herbicides, insecticides and fungicides) are used to control weeds, insect infestations and funguses. These chemical inputs destroy the microbes in soil and consequently the mineral and vitamin content of food grown from it. Conventional food not only lacks essential nutrients, but poses risks to health from the presence of harmful pesticide residues. Conventional farmers have access to 440 active ingredient pesticides formulated over 4000 products. UK government figures show that between 1998-2001 at least 40% of fruit and vegetables in UK supermarkets contained pesticides. The British Medical Association say that due to the manner in which pesticide residues are stored in fatty tissues they

may remain in the body for several years, with possible neurobehavioural and neurotoxic effects, mutagenicity, teratogenicity, carcinogenicity, and allergic and other immuno-regulatory disorders. Pesticide residues in food such as organophosphates are linked with cancers, foetal abnormalities, chronic fatigue syndrome, and Parkinsons, and allergies, especially in children, and breast cancer in women. The US government has linked pesticide residues to the top three environmental cancer risks.In Organic agriculture - Synthetic fertilisers and pesticides are not allowed in organic growing. Only in exceptional circumstances are any pesticides permitted.. Organic certification in the UK permits the use of only 4 pesticides of natural origin or made from simple chemicals which can be applied only in emergencies. Only 10 tons of the 4 permitted pesticides were used on UK organic farms in 2003, as opposed to 31,000 tons of pesticides used

on conventional farmland.Organic growing methods use crop rotation and natural organic matter to fertilise to produce healthy soilIn Conventional Agriculture - The intensive use of land in conventional agriculture depletes the soil and the nutrients in food grown it. A study carried out by MAFF in the UK over a period of 50 years, from 1940-1991 showed a 12-76% decline in the trace mineral content of UK fruits and vegetables. Crops grown conventionally are planted on the same fields every year, and often mono-cropping (growing the same crop on the same field every year) is practised. To restore soil content, chemical fertilizers are applied. The high nitrogen levels in synthetic fertilisers make vegetables and fruits grow bigger more quickly and increases water uptake. High water content and rapid growth rates reduce taste and dilutes nutrient density. Diets full of these foods tend to promote over

eating which can lead to obesity. 'Satisfaction' levels that used to be obtained from tasteful food can often be replaced with a feeling of 'satisfaction' gained from over eating. What is more, the reduced nutritional density in conventional food requires more of it to be eaten to obtain the necessary vitamin and mineral levels, and increased food consumption causes higher calorie intake and subsequent weight gain.In Organic Agriculture - In organic food production the land is 'rested' and renewed. Food crops are 'rotated' every growing season so that the same crop is not grown on the same land every year. The soil is enriched with the use of natural fertilizers like manure and 'cover crops' (clover and legumes) which fix nitrogen naturally. Manure is used in accordance with strict guidelines, and clover and legumes crops are planted alternatively with food crops (in between growing seasons) and ploughed into the soil to improve nitrogen

levels and the growth of soil microbes. These natural fertilisers promote normal growth rates (and normal water intake) which produce vegetables and fruits with compact cellular structures which concentrate taste and nutrient density. Tasteful food gives 'satisfaction' and reduces compulsive eating and weight gain. Higher nutrient density in organic food gives more vitamins and minerals per ounce than conventional foods, which reduces the need to consume a lot of food to obtain necessary nutrients levels.Organic animal production forbids use of growth hormones and limits use of medicines..In Conventional Agriculture - Animal production on conventional farms uses antibiotics as 'growth promoters'. This widespread practice has greatly increased levels of antibiotic resistance in humans. Over use of antibiotics causes bacteria to become resistant to them making antibiotics administered as

medicines ineffective. Hospitals now struggle to control simple infections that standard antibiotics used to cure. What is more, animals conventionally bred are feed chemically produced feed crops which cause health defects which in turn require medicines to treat - adding to the health risks from meat, milk and eggs.In Organic Agriculture - Organic standards do not allow the use of antibiotics as growth hormones. Medicine use of all kinds is highly regulated by organic standards to reduce health risks to animals and the food supply.Organic production standards forbid the use of genetically modified organisms for both environmental and health reasonsIn Conventional Agriculture - The biotech industry has waged a massive propaganda campaign to promote GM food as 'substantially equivalent' to conventional food and therefore 'the same' as conventional food. However, the differences between GM food and conventional food are not

tested for. GM technology is imprecise and can cause unpredictable changes in GM food which might result in new allergies or toxic reactions. In the simple 'substantial equivalence' tests do not even look for problems that the process of genetic modification can cause.In Organic Agriculture - Organic standards world-wide outlaw the use of GMO's. The use of GM seeds and plants are forbidden in organic growing because the effects on human health are unknown. No tests have ever been conducted to assess the health risks to humans from eating GM food even though GM food contains genes that have never been part of the human diet. It is of concern that the few independent scientific studies done on animals showed serious damage to the virtually every system and organ of laboratory test animals fed GM feed. Organic standards reject GMO's for environmental reasons. GM crops, wherever they have been grown in

the world, have contaminated conventional and organic crops with GM DNA. Genetic damage cannot be reversed once released into the environment and contamination incidents cannot be rectified. No containment methods employed to date have prevented GM crops from escaping into the environment and contaminating other crops and the wider environment.

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