Stanford Researchers Miss the Mark

All over the headlines today you will see:
"Organic Food Has Little Health Impact, Study Says"
"Stanford Study: Organic food is not healthier than non-organic"
"Little evidence of health benefits from organic foods..."

The media is spinning together a view that these "pricier" organic foods aren't worth it. Unfortunately, you have to read the articles to get the full picture.

1) It is clear the Stanford researchers have no idea why people buy organic food. It's not because of some misconception that pesticides rob the produce of key nutrients. No, it is because people don't want to ingest the pesticides. They don't want to eat meat "enhanced" with growth hormones and antibiotics. So, to conclude that the premium consumers pay for organic is "for nothing" can't be concluded from this study. In fact, I will tell you what WAS found in the study that SUPPORTS these reasons to purchase organic meats and produce.


2) The study actually shows INSTANCES OF NUTRITIONAL SUPERIORITY.

• Organic milk contained more Omega-3 fatty acids.
• Organic produce contained more phosphorus than conventional.
• Organic produce contained more phenols that has been linked to potential cancer-prevention than conventional.

3) The study actually provides evidence IN SUPPORT OF the purpose people buy organic. 

• The organic produce had less pesticide residue than conventional.
• 38% of conventional had detectable pesticide residue vs. 7% of organic
• Organic chicken and pork were less likely to be contaminated by antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

4) What the study can't show is a strong reason to know your farmer and make informed food choices. How your farmer raises your food (organic grass, pasture-grazing animals, high-quality supplemental feed, slow-paced slaughtering) can contribute to higher nutritional content and safer meats.

• Grass fed beef is leaner, while being higher in Omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (another good fat). It also has been shown to have higher Vitamin E content. http://www.eatwild.com/healthbenefits.htm
• Chicken in the sunshine on a pasture diet are also leaner while containing higher Omega-3 profiles. Meat from these chickens also has 50% more Vitamin A than industrial chickens. http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/nutritional-differences-between-pasturefed-chickens-vs-non-2413.html
• Not surprisingly, the eggs from pastured chickens have 1/3 less cholesterol, 1/4 less saturated fat, 2/3 more Vitamin A, 2 times more omega-3, 3 times more Vitamin E, 7 times more beta-carotene, AND 4-6 times more Vitamin D.  http://www.motherearthnews.com/Relish/Pastured-Eggs-Vitamin-D-Content.aspx
• Finally, fruits and vegetables are also a product of their soil and water. Rainwater is better than processed city water and nutrient-rich soil is better than soil that has been neglected by the grower. I always ask my farmers what they put in their soil, what compost they use, etc. Whether plants or animals, the better they are fed, the better I am fed. We are what we eat, right?? - all the way down the food chain!  http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=soil-depletion-and-nutrition-loss

Other studies of note:

• Three studies published last year show the children of a group of pregnant women, exposed to higher amounts of pesticides, had on average lower I.Q.'s than their elementary peers.
• A 2010 Washington State University study found organic strawberries to have more Vitamin C than their conventionally-grown counterparts.

*provided by New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/04/science/earth/study-questions-advantages-of-organic-meat-and-produce.html

So, I hope you overhear someone at work commenting on this study - or that you get an email forward from a friend, and that you forward them this link in response! We need to get educated - beyond what the media wants to tell us today.