A Response to “Study:Organic Foods Not Healthier Than Non-Organic”
September 3, 2008
Have you read about the new study by the University of Copenhagen? This study has revealed that organic foods contained no more nutrients than non-organic foods grown with the use of pesticides.
To quote the article: “No systematic differences between cultivation systems representing organic and conventional production methods were found across the five crops [carrots, kale, mature peas, apples and potatoes], so the study does not support the belief that organcially grown foodstuffs generally contain more major and trace elements than conentionally grown foodstuffs. It should be noted that the study does not make conclusions about the comparative levels of pesticides or chemicals in conventionally and organically grown food, or the health effects of consuming such chemicals”.
I’ve heard this arguement against organics 30 years ago. And you know what? I’m not surprised at all. Seeds grown in nutrient deficient soils will be nutrient deficient, whether farmed with chemicals or without. If there is a lack of a certain trace mineral in the soil, how can the plant take it up? If there is no bacterial or fungi life in the soil, how can the minerals make it into the plant? Organic agriculture has never made the claim that organic produce is more nutrient dense. That claim can only be made when one farms to improve the soil life (bacteria and fungi) and provide the minerals necessary for health. All health starts with the soil, not the plant. As a consumer, it is your responsibility to check out the source of your foods. Look your farmer in the eye and ask them what they do to improve soil health. Your farmer should be doing everything in their power to cultivate bacteria and fungi (green manures, animal compost, foliar feeding, compost teas), and add missing nutrients back into the soil. Remember, there are 83 known trace minerals. Life cannot exist on N (nitrogen), P (phosporous) and K (potassium) alone.
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