Hooked to organic food for its supposed health benefits? Here's some food for thought. In the largest analysis of studies till date on organic food, researchers from Stanford Universityhave said there is "little evidence of healthier benefits from organic food over those grown conventionally".
The researchers found no difference in protein or fat content between organic and conventional milk. No consistent differences were also seen in the vitamin content of organic products. Only one nutrient — phosphorus — was significantly higher in organic food as compared to conventionally grown produce.
The only benefit found was that consumption of organic food can reduce the risk of pesticide exposure.
"Organic produce was 30% less likely to be contaminated with pesticides than conventional fruits and vegetables," said the study published on Tuesday in the medical journal Annals of Internal Medicine.
The study, however, added that organic foods are not necessarily 100% free of pesticides.
Also, organic chicken and pork appeared to reduce exposure to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. "There isn't much difference between organic and conventional foods if you're an adult and making a decision based solely on your health," said Dena Bravata, senior author of the study.
Dr Ritika Samaddar, chief dietician at Max Hospital agreed with the finding but said cost is a big factor behind organic food still not being that popular.
"We knew that nutritionally organic food isn't any different to conventionally grown food. However, insecticides and pesticides in food can cause illnesses like cancer. We always suggest people should have conventionally grown food by washing them well. People should consume more seasonal food as against stored food," Dr Samaddar said.
For the analysis, researchers identified 237 of the most relevant papers published till date including 17 studies of populations consuming organic and conventional diets and 223 studies that compared either the nutrient levels or the bacterial, fungal or pesticide contamination of various products (fruits, vegetables, grains, meats, milk, poultry and eggs) grown organically and conventionally. The duration of the studies involving human subjects ranged from two days to two years.
Bravata, a senior affiliate with Stanford's Center for Health Policy, and Crystal Smith-Spangler, an instructor in the school's division of general medical disciplines, did the comprehensive meta-analysis. "Some believe that organic food is always healthier and more nutritious," said Smith-Spangler. "We were a little surprised that we didn't find that."
The researchers said their aim was to educate people, not to discourage them from making organic purchases.
According to a recent report, the organic food market in India is growing at 20-22% annually and with exports is valued at Rs 1,000 crore. India produced around 3.88 million tonnes of certified organic products, including basmati, pulses, tea, coffee, spices and oilseeds. According to government data, area under organic farming had risen to 1.08 million hectares. Among organic crops, cotton is the single largest accounting for nearly 40% of total area followed by rice, pulses, oilseeds and spices.
Organic foods are often twice as expensive as their conventionally grown counterparts. "If you look beyond health effects, there are plenty of other reasons to buy organic instead of conventional," noted Bravata.
She listed taste preferences and concerns about the effects of conventional farming practices on the environment and animal welfare as some of the reasons people choose organic products. She also said people should aim for healthier diets overall.
Article from times of india dated on 21 sep 12 on
Organic foods as nutritive as others
If you think organic foods are healthier and safer that conventionally grown products, you should think again.
New study from Stanford University has found little evidence of health benefits from organic foods.
"There isn't much difference between organic and conventional foods, if you're an adult and making a decision based solely on your health," said Dena Bravata, MD, MS, the senior author of the study.
A team led by Bravata, a senior affiliate with Stanford's Center for Health Policy, and Crystal Smith-Spangler, MD, MS, an instructor in the school's Division of General Medical Disciplines and a physician-investigator at VA Palo Alto Health Care System, did the most comprehensive meta-analysis to date of existing studies comparing organic and conventional foods.
They did not find strong evidence that organic foods are more nutritious or carry fewer health risks than conventional alternatives, though consumption of organic foods can reduce the risk of pesticide exposure.
For their study, the researchers sifted through thousands of papers and identified 237 of the most relevant to analyze. Those included 17 studies (six of which were randomized clinical trials) of populations consuming organic and conventional diets, and 223 studies that compared either the nutrient levels or the bacterial, fungal or pesticide contamination of various products (fruits, vegetables, grains, meats, milk, poultry, and eggs) grown organically and conventionally.
After analyzing the data, the researchers found little significant difference in health benefits between organic and conventional foods. No consistent differences were seen in the vitamin content of organic products, and only one nutrient — phosphorus — was significantly higher in organic versus conventionally grown produce (and the researchers note that because few people have phosphorous deficiency, this has little clinical significance).
There was also no difference in protein or fat content between organic and conventional milk, though evidence from a limited number of studies suggested that organic milk may contain significantly higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids.
The researchers were also unable to identify specific fruits and vegetables for which organic appeared the consistently healthier choice, despite running what Bravata called "tons of analyses."
"Some believe that organic food is always healthier and more nutritious. We were a little surprised that we didn't find that," said first author Smith-Spangler, who is also an instructor of medicine at the School of Medicine.
The review yielded scant evidence that conventional foods posed greater health risks than organic products.
While researchers found that organic produce is 30 percent less likely to be contaminated with pesticides than conventional fruits and vegetables, organic foods are not necessarily 100 percent free of pesticides.
The finding will be published in the latest issue of Annals of Internal Medicine.
