Is Eating Organic Better for your Health?
—12 SEPTEMBER 2023—JULIE FROM YUKA
Organic products have been growing in popularity over the
last 20 years with consumers concerned about their health and the planet. The
number of USDA-certified farms in the USA has risen considerably in recent
years, from 10,900 in 2008 to over 17,000 in 20211.
But does eating organic have real health benefits? Does
organic food really guarantee that there is no exposure to pesticides?
We break down the topic here with nutritionist Anthony
Berthou.
What is organic agriculture?
Organic farming
limits the use of synthetic chemicals
Organic agriculture limits the use of synthetic chemicals
such as pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. Synthetic pesticides and
fertilizers are artificial substances developed in laboratories and
manufactured in factories, often with inputs from the petrochemical industry.
In the United States, Organic farming uses mainly organic
substances and only resorts to synthetic substances under strict conditions:
when “substance cannot be produced from a natural source and there are no
organic substitutes”. All the substances must comply with the National List of
Allowed and Prohibited Substances2. Thus, the
substances allowed in organic agriculture are much more limited than those
permitted in conventional agriculture. For example, in the European Union,
there are 363 commercial products authorized in organic, versus 2,668 in
conventional farming3.
Some synthetic substances are extremely problematic for
human and environmental health, so they are banned from organic agriculture.
Organophosphates, for example, are used as insecticides and act on insects by
blocking neurotransmission in the brain. But according to several researchers,
they could also cause central and peripheral nervous system dysfunction in
humans4. Some of them are also classified by the US EPA and
the IARC as probable carcinogens5,6.
These insecticides are also criticized for their impact on
biodiversity : studies show toxicity in insects, plants and animals. In
addition, these substances can persist for several months in the soil after
being spread in the field and contributing to soil acidification and causing
loss of fertility7.
However, some
natural substances can also be problematic
Some natural substances and naturally derived substances
used in organic farming can still be problematic for human health and/or the
environment. A symbolic example involves copper-based compounds, and especially
Bordeaux mixture, a combination of copper sulfate and lime. This mixture is
authorized for organic farming in all countries. The use of copper-based
pesticides is problematic for both the environment and public health. On the
environmental side, the INRAE (France’s national institute for research in
agronomy) reports, among other things, that “excess copper concentrations have
known phytotoxic effects on the growth and development of most plants”8. On the health side, this mineral exerts a major
pro-oxidative effect, which can lead to damage to our cellular component9.
The European Union has defined a list of 77 substances currently
authorized in organic as “candidates for substitution”10. This means
that these compounds are of particular concern to public health or the
environment, and alternatives must be found. They remain authorized as long as
there are no alternative solutions approved by the authorities.
Organic agriculture, therefore, significantly reduces human and
environmental exposure to synthetic chemicals. One of the challenges facing organic agriculture
today is the identification of alternatives to certain worrisome natural
pesticides.
Organic farming
also limits the use of additives
Beyond pesticides, organic agriculture also limits the use
of additives. In fact, 82 additives are allowed in
organic farming in the United States versus more than 500 in conventional
farming11. Many highly
controversial additives such as tartrazine (E102), BHA (E320) and aspartame
(E951) are prohibited in organic products.
What are the different organic labels and their
requirements?
There are various labels that impose requirements regarding
the organic origin of ingredients and products. However, the specifications
vary from one label to another.
|
|
USDA Organic |
The general requirements are the following:
·
Substances (agrochemical products and
ingredients) must comply with the National List of Allowed and Prohibited
Substances
·
Sewage sludge, ionizing radiation or
GMO’s are prohibited for crops (no test for GMO residue at several levels of
production are required)
·
Animals may not be administered
antibiotics or hormones
·
Animals must be fed 100% organic feed
and forage
·
Greenhouses are allowed
·
A distinct buffer/boundary must exist
between organic and non-organic crops
·
Animals must be raised in living
conditions accommodating their natural behaviors (like the ability to graze on
pasture)
There are four different levels within the USDA Organic
label, indicating varying levels of organic content and production methods.
100% Organic
·
100% of ingredients and
processing aids in processed products must be
organic (excluding salt and water)
·
Allowed to display USDA Organic seal
Organic
·
95% of ingredients and
processing aids must be organic (excluding salt
and water)
·
Remaining 5%
elements must be non-agricultural (minerals,
agar-agar, etc.) or agricultural if an organic version is not commercially
available and must meet the minimal requirements : comply with the National
List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances and exclude methods such as GMO’s and
ionizing radiation.
·
Allowed to display USDA Organic seal
There are two other levels within the USDA Organic label,
but they are not allowed to display the USDA logo on their products. Only the
mentions indicated below can be displayed on the products.
Made with Organic Ingredients:
·
Processed products that contains at
least 70% organic ingredients (excluding salt and water)
·
The remaining 30% non-organic
ingredients must meet the minimal requirements detailed in the previous section
·
These products are not
allowed to use the USDA Organic seal
Organic Ingredients:
·
Processed products that contains less
than 70% organic ingredients
·
The other non-organic ingredients do
not need to meet the minimal requirements (GMO’s are allowed for example).
·
These products are not
allowed to use the USDA Organic seal
 |
Certified Naturally Grown |
·
Based on the exact same organic crop
and livestock general requirements as the USDA National Organic Program
·
A unique label, no categories based on
the percentage of organic ingredients in the products unlike the USDA organic
label
·
Used for raw agricultural products
(fruits, vegetables, meat, honeys, mushrooms, and flowers) sent directly to the
consumer
·
Label which guarantees minimum
paperwork and affordable certification dues for producers
N.B.: The ‘Non-GMO Project‘
label focuses on the absence of genetically modified organisms, and not on the
organic aspect of ingredients and products. There is no prohibition to use
chemical and synthetic substances or requirements about other aspects of
agricultural production.
Eating organic reduces exposure to pesticides
Generally speaking, organic products are never completely
free of pesticide contamination, but studies all agree that they contain much
lower volumes. As a result, organic products are believed to
contain on average 75% fewer pesticides compared to
conventionally farmed foods, according to a large meta-analysis published in
2014 in the British Journal of Nutrition12.
Pesticides are now recognized as substances that can cause
many diseases. First, most studies show an increased
risk of cancer in individuals most exposed to pesticides13-18. The implicated cancers are non-Hodgkin’s
lymphoma, leukemia, brain tumors, hormone-sensitive cancers, lung cancer and
melanomas.
In addition, numerous studies show a link between exposure
to certain pesticides and the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. Research
shows that people with high lifetime exposure to pesticides could have a 62%
higher risk of developing the disease19. Pesticides are
also blamed for an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease20,21 and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease22-24, as well as for cognitive and anxiety disorders25,26.
For pregnant women, pesticide exposure during pregnancy may
also have significant consequences on child development, including a higher
risk of premature birth, autism, heart defects, or even metabolic complications
in adulthood27-29. Finally, increased exposure to certain
pesticides also appears to foster both male and female fertility disorders30.
Organic food also reduces contamination from certain
heavy metals
Beyond pesticides, studies also show that organic products
are less contaminated by certain heavy metals. The level
of cadmium contamination, for example, is almost twice as low in organic
products as in conventionally farmed products12. Cadmium contamination is mainly linked to the use
of phosphate fertilizers, which are forbidden in organic agriculture.
Cadmium is listed as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1) by
the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Related cancers are
those of the respiratory tract, especially the lung31.
It is also suspected of being mutagenic and toxic to reproduction32,33.
Organic food has nutritional benefits
More
antioxidants in organic fruits and vegetables
Organically grown fruits and vegetables are 20% to 70% higher in antioxidants than
conventionally grown produce, with variable volumes depending on the type of
antioxidant12. This is attributable to the fact that a
non-chemically treated fruits and vegetables have to defend themselves
naturally against external aggressions (drought, parasite attacks, etc.). To adapt to this stress, they will produce more defense molecules,
particularly polyphenols, compounds that belong to the antioxidant family.
Switching to a totally organic diet could increase the
antioxidant content of the average diet by 20% to 40%, and even 60% for certain
antioxidants.
Antioxidants are essential to our health and help protect
our cells. They play an important role in preventing cancers, degenerative
diseases (multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, etc.) and even
cardiovascular diseases (see our
post on antioxidants).
More vitamins
and minerals in plants
Several studies have also shown higher volumes of certain
vitamins and minerals in organic plants. According to these studies, there may
be more vitamin C (6% to 27%), iron (21%) and magnesium (29.3%)34,35. Other studies, however, have found little or
no difference36,37.
Higher Omega-3
content in animal products
As for meat and milk, studies show that their Omega-3
content increases when they are produced organically, and that their Omega-6
content decreases. Omega-3 fatty acids are extremely beneficial and our intake
is currently insufficient: we consume only about 30% of the recommended
allowance of Omega-3. More importantly, we currently consume too much Omega-6
(see our
post on fats).
On average, organic meat contains 22% more Omega-338. This is a
result of the feed given to organic animals, which consume grass or hay instead
of soybean meal. As for milk, it may contain up to 56% more
Omega-3 according to a meta-analysis of 170 studies39.
Organic food plays a role in preventing many diseases
A broad three-year study of 60,000 people in France known
as BioNutrinet showed the benefits of an organic diet
on the risks of becoming overweight or obesity and developing diabetes40. According to this study, the people who consumed
the most organic food had a lower risk of being overweight: 36% less likely for
men and 42% for women. The risk of obesity is reduced by 62% in men and 48% in
women.
Furthermore, among the highest consumers of organic
produce, the risk of type 2 diabetes was reportedly reduced by 31%41,42. This is because some chemical pesticides are
endocrine disruptors linked to the risk of obesity and diabetes.
With regard to cancer risk, the same study concluded
that regular consumption of organic foods could reduce the risk of
developing cancer by 25%.The risk appears to be significantly
reduced for breast cancer in postmenopausal women (-34%) and for lymphoma
(-76%). However, the causal link cannot be established on the basis of this
study alone, which has certain biases, and these figures need to be confirmed
by other studies.
Finally, a study published in 2022 in the Environment
International journal associates organic food with a significant reduction in oxidative stress, a phenomenon implicated
in many chronic pathologies (neurodegenerative diseases, some
cancers, diabetes)43. Researchers believe these
results are probably linked to the presence of synthetic pesticide residues in
the conventional diet.
Eating organic: the best solution for better health?
Eating organic products has many health benefits. However,
this alone is not enough to optimize your health. Consuming organic products should obviously be part of an overall
healthy and balanced diet.
Consider the example of processed products such as chips or
cookies. The fact that they are organic does not cancel out the fact that they
may be far too sweet or salty. Thus, the organic dimension is far from being
the only criterion to take into account, especially when purchasing processed
foods.
When it comes to unprocessed foods such as fruits,
vegetables, meat or dairy products, choosing organic is certainly a better
option for your health.
The USDA organic label is a useful starting point for limiting our
exposure to pesticides.
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Enjoy looking through my Library
Terry’s “Good Living” Guide:
Avoid the 3 PsBsSs
Processed Foods, Phthalates, Plastics;
Beef, Butter, Breads;
you’ll be feeling better in no time!
Avoid the 3 F’s
misinformation, fear, anger and hate!
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