Organic Center Report Indicates Organic Foods Have Elevated Levels of Antioxidants

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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

of

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.

 

 

 

 

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