Organic Food Really Is Better So Stock Up On The Top 5 Essentials

by Nicole
A $25 million study, funded by the European Union, has found that organic food really is better for you. Lead by Newcastle University’s ecological agriculture professor Carlo Leifert (who has also spoken out against genetically modified or GM food), researches grew fruit and vegetables, and reared cows using both organic and non-organic methods on adjacent sites over a four-year period. They found that the organic produce contained more antioxidants and less fatty acids that their non-organic counterparts.

Levels of antioxidants in organic milk were between 50% and 80 % higher, with levels reaching a peak during the summer months when the organic cattle stock grazed on fresh grass. Levels of vitamin E were also found to be higher in organic milk, which produced cheese with twice a many nutrients. Organic vegetables such as wheat, tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, onions and lettuce had between 20% and 40% more nutrients.

For those taking their first step towards a healthier organic lifestyle, Organic Rx's Dr. Geene lists the top five organic food essentials in an interview published by the New York Times. He lists organic foods in order of priority, based on nutritional value, pesticide contamination, and environmental considerations, as well as the average intake of a specific food, since it makes sense to go organic on the foods we eat the most of to maximize their impact.

Milk – According to the New York Times, “one recent United States Department of Agriculture survey found certain pesticides in about 30 percent of conventional milk samples and low levels in only one organic sample.”

Potatoes – They make up 30% of our overall vegetable intake, and are one of the most contaminated foods. “A 2006 U.S.D.A. test found 81 percent of potatoes tested still contained pesticides after being washed and peeled, and the potato has one of the highest pesticide contents of 43 fruits and vegetables tested, according to the Environmental Working Group.”

Peanut Butter – “More acres are devoted to growing peanuts than any other fruits, vegetable or nut, according to the U.S.D.A. More than 99 percent of peanut farms use conventional farming practices, including the use of fungicide to treat mold, a common problem in peanut crops.”

Ketchup – “About 75 percent of tomato consumption is in the form of processed tomatoes…Recent research has shown organic ketchup has about double the antioxidants of conventional ketchup.”

Apples – “Apples are the second most commonly eaten fresh fruit” and are also “one of the most pesticide-contaminated fruits and vegetables.”

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