When we hear the word “organic” it is usually associated with being healthier for you compared to non-organic foods. But is that true? The World’s Healthiest Foods compares the two to learn more.
Organic foods are grown to specifications that require expectations for the soil and water. Among these requirements is that most pesticides that are used on non-organic foods cannot be used. This means that the organic broccoli you are eating has been grown without using harmful chemicals that have been known to cause cancer. These chemicals can include:
- Mercury
- Benzene
- Toluene
What you need to know about your food and pesticide
What is particularly concerning is that pesticides still turn up on a lot of our foods, both organic and non-organic. The World’s Healthiest Foods notes research from the U.S. Department of Agriculture which took thousands of samples. They found that there was a pesticide on 75% of non-organic foods and 25% of organics. Within that 25% of organics with containments, half had residual DDT chemicals on them. DDT is a pesticide banned for decades. Yet, it still remains in the soil. However, when you exclude DDT a number of organics with pesticides on them drops to 13%. This means organics have fewer pesticides than non-organic foods.
Another comparison is made with nutrient quality. Generally, organics contain 15% more nutrients than non-organic produce. This includes more flavonoids, minerals, and vitamin C. Interestingly, non-organics have higher amounts of protein, but organic foods had better quality protein.
Overall, the World’s Healthiest Foods recommends using organic foods when preparing meals. There is less chance of consuming pesticides and organics have better nutritional quality than foods that are not organic.
Want to learn more about organic and non-organic foods and how they relate to your health? You can read the full article here: Can Organic Foods Really Improve My Health?
