No nutritional benefits to going organic
The British conducted a study to determine what exactly the nutrient density difference is between organic and conventionally grown foods. The data was scavenged from 50 years of published reports on organically grown goods, and the results are pretty plain to see: there’s no nutritional benefit to shelling out double the price for the same thing. There is very little difference in organic nutrient density to the natural products or the conventionally processed.
Granted, others buy organic goods for the lack of pesticides and chemicals used in the growing process, and while that may sound great and healthy, people must realize that certain foods need to be treated before consumption due to naturally occurring health concerns. The dangers of organic peanut butter are a great example of where consumer education is key. Malignant bacteria in peanuts can cause health problems. Consumer education is important because relying on generalizations to classify food as healthy or not can backfire.
Companies also don’t make much money on their organic lines, often because of higher prices. Conventionally processed foods that offer the same nutrient quality are more appealing to those on a budget, especially during economic hardships, such as the one the world is currently experiencing.
Organic foods often don’t contain some of the more processed derivatives that most conventional foods do, which make them a preferable option, such as being free of high fructose corn syrup and trans fat.
It is important for consumers to understand what they buy, and in many cases the difference between organic and conventional is nothing more than price.
Rob @ July 31, 2009