Just this morning I opened my New York Times and an article caught my eye–Standford Scientists Cast Doubt on the Advantages of Organic Meat and Produce–I could not help but skip to page A20 and read. The study was a meta-analysis and came to several conclusions–below are several of them:
- Organic chicken and pork were less likely to be contaminated
- Organic milk contained more omega-3 fatty acids
- Organic produce contained higher levels of phosphorus
- Organic produce contained more phenols-cancer fighting agents
- Children who ate organic produce had fewer pesticide traces in their urine
Remember the organic label simply means that the use of synthetic pesticides, hormones and additives are prohibited. Therefore, organic produce, as expected, was much less likely to retain traces of pesticides–this is especially relevant for pregnant woman and young children–my take? I would drink organic milk whenever possible and purchase organic fruits and vegetables where the skin is eaten, especially if there are pregnant woman and young children in your home. I would not be so inclined to purchase organic meats or fish or those fruits and vegetables where the skin is removed. Remember, if you are looking for greater nutritional value then organic is not going to provide this.
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