amr ® Environmental Medicine

Organic Foods Contain Higher Levels of

Certain Nutrients, Lower Levels of Pesticides,
and May Provide Health Benefits for the
Consumer
Walter J. Crinnion, ND

Abstract fewer pesticide residues. Far fewer studies have

The multi-billion dollar organic food industry is fueled by been conducted to assess either the potential or
consumer perception that organic food is healthier (greater actual health benefits of eating organic foods.
nutritional value and fewer toxic chemicals). Studies of the
nutrient content in organic foods vary in results due to Factors Affecting Nutritional Content
differences in the ground cover and maturity of the organic of Produce
farming operation. Nutrient content also varies from farmer to Determining the potential nutritional superior-
farmer and year to year. However, reviews of multiple studies ity of organic food is not a simple task. Numerous
show that organic varieties do provide significantly greater factors, apart from organic versus inorganic
levels of vitamin C, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus than growing, influence the amount of vitamins and
non-organic varieties of the same foods. While being higher in phytochemicals (phenols, flavonoids, carotenoids,
these nutrients, they are also significantly lower in nitrates etc.) in a crop. These factors include the weather
and pesticide residues. In addition, with the exception of (affecting crops year-to-year), specific environmen-
wheat, oats, and wine, organic foods typically provide greater tal conditions from one farm to the next (microcli-
levels of a number of important antioxidant phytochemicals mates), soil condition, etc. Another major factor
(anthocyanins, flavonoids, and carotenoids). Although in vitro not taken into account in the published studies was
studies of organic fruits and vegetables consistently demon- the length of time the specific plots of land had
strate that organic foods have greater antioxidant activity, are been worked using organic methods. Since it takes
more potent suppressors of the mutagenic action of toxic years to build soil quality in a plot using organic
compounds, and inhibit the proliferation of certain cancer cell methods and for the persistent pollutants in the
lines, in vivo studies of antioxidant activity in humans have ground to be reduced, this can significantly affect
failed to demonstrate additional benefit. Clear health benefits the outcome of comparative studies. The impor-
from consuming organic dairy products have been demon- tance of these different factors is apparent from a
Walter Crinnion, ND – strated in regard to allergic dermatitis. review of the recent studies examining the nutrient
1982 graduate of Bastyr
University; practice since (Altern Med Rev 2010;15(1):4-12) content in tomatoes.
1982 with a special focus on
treating chronic diseases Introduction Differences between Growers and Soil Quality
caused by environmental
toxic burden; conducts Organic food consumption is one of the fastest Of six recent studies of nutrient content of
post-graduate seminars in growing segments of U.S. domestic foodstuffs. organic tomatoes, only one showed no significant
environmental medicine; Sales of organic food and beverages grew from $1 differences between organic and conventional
professor and chair of the
Environmental Medicine billion in 1990 to $21.1 billion in 2008 and are on farms.4 This study, conducted in Taiwan, did find
Program, Southwest College track to reach $23 billion in 2009.1 Consumers that while there was no difference in lycopene
of Naturopathic Medicine, generally perceive these foods to be healthier and levels between the types of farms, farm manage-
Tempe, AZ; contributing
editor, Alternative Medicine safer for themselves and the environment.2,3 A ment skills and site-specific effects (e.g., geographi-
Review plethora of studies in the last two decades have cal area and orientation to the sun) did make a
Email: [email protected] assessed whether organic foods have higher levels difference in how much lycopene was present. A
of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals than California study of four different growers in one
conventionally raised foods and whether they have year found organically raised tomatoes have

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Environmental Medicine
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Key words: organic, pesticides,

health food, nutritional value, significantly higher levels of soluble solids and from non-mature organic farms is not a valid
herbicides titratable acidity but lower red color, ascorbic acid, method of comparison of the nutrient content of
and total phenolics.5 They also noted that differ- organic foods versus conventional foodstuffs.
ences among growers reached statistical signifi- Two other recent studies examined the differ-
cance. The authors did not note farm management ence between organically and conventionally grown
skills as a possibility for the differences, suggesting tomatoes. The Italian study revealed that organic
it was due to differing soil conditions as well as the tomatoes have more salicylates than conventional
type of tomato used. tomatoes, but less ascorbic acid and lycopene.8 The
study specified that the tomatoes were grown in
Differences Due to the Weather Conditions from different parts of the same farm with sufficient
Year-to-Year distance between the organic and non-organic
A three-year study at the University of California plots to “prevent the drift of chemical treatments.”
(UC), Davis, found significant differences in How this was determined to be a safe distance was
phytochemical levels of tomatoes among varieties not revealed, and since chemicals have been shown
and from year-to-year.6 Organically raised Burbank to literally travel the globe, this is a questionable
tomatoes were found to have significantly higher statement. The study also specified that the organic
levels of ascorbic acid (26% higher) and the plots had been “organic” for only three years, which
flavonoids quercetin (30% higher) and kaempferol means they were not fully mature organic farms.
(17%). But the other tomato cultivar (Ropreco), This could account for the difference between these
while showing 20-percent more kaempferol in the results and those of other tomato studies. The
organic variety, had a less robust overall showing. French study found results that were more consis-
This three-year study also revealed significant tent with the California studies, showing organic
differences in nutrient content of the tomatoes varieties had higher levels of ascorbic acid, carot-
from year-to-year within each plot. So, while the enoids, and polyphenols than conventionally-raised
growing practices stayed the same, the weather tomatoes.9
conditions from year-to-year changed the outcome. Understanding these factors puts studies of
organic versus conventional growing practices into
Length of Time Using Organic Methods better perspective. Without an appreciation of
Another UC-Davis study on flavonoid content of these issues, the outcome of the study may not
tomatoes (no ascorbic acid levels tested) was accurately reflect the true nutritional differences
conducted using dried tomatoes that had been between agricultural methods.
archived over a 10-year period.7 The tomatoes were
grown in experimental plots as part of the Long- Vitamin and Mineral Content
Term Research on Agricultural Systems (LTRANS) Several reviews on nutritional differences
project. Over the decade of crop production, it was between organic and non-organic foods have been
found that organic tomatoes averaged 79-percent published in the last decade.10-14 Earlier studies
more quercetin and 97-percent more kaempferol looked primarily at the mineral and vitamin
than the conventionally grown tomatoes. content, while recent studies looked at phytochem-
Interestingly, while the flavonoid levels in toma- icals (phenols, etc.) in the foods. The research on
toes from conventional plots stayed relatively vitamin and mineral content will be discussed here.
constant over 10 years, those from organic plots Factors affecting variability discussed above must
kept increasing each year. The increase in flavonoid be kept in mind, something the earlier studies did
levels corresponded with increasing levels of not take into account. Factoring in these variables
organic matter in the soil and the reduction of would presumably strengthen the findings
manure application after the plots became rich in reviewed below.
organic matter. It is also interesting to note that, in Lairon’s review10 reported that, regarding
the previously mentioned study,6 the plots that minerals, organic foods have 21-percent more iron
provided Burbank and Ropreco tomatoes with and 29-percent more magnesium than non-organic
higher flavonoid levels had been in organic-only foods. When vitamins were studied, ascorbic acid
care for 25 years prior to the beginning of the was the most common vitamin found in higher
study, indicating the longer the soil has been quantities in many organic fruits and vegetables
worked using organic methods, the greater the tested. Worthington11 reached much the same
nutritional difference from conventionally grown conclusions, stating that four nutrients were found
plots. Therefore, it appears that measuring produce in significantly higher levels in organic produce

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amr ® Environmental Medicine

– ascorbic acid averaged 27-percent higher, iron Pesticide Content

21-percent higher, magnesium 29-percent higher, World pesticide use exceeded 5.0 billion lbs in
and phosphorus 13.6-percent higher. Both both 2000 and 2001 (total cost, $64.5 billion) with
Worthington and Lairon reported the studies they the United States accounting for 1.2 billion lbs per
reviewed showed conventional foods were typically year at an annual cost of $11 billion.39 While the
higher in nitrates – 15-percent higher in conven- totals are staggering, so too is the infinitesimal
tional foods according to Worthington. The amount of those five billion pounds a year that
systematic review by Dangour12 that was published actually make it to the target pest – less than 0.1
in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition also percent.40 No one has accounted for where the
reported significantly higher nitrate content in other 99.9 percent ends up, and it is known these
conventionally grown foods, although the authors compounds can travel thousands of miles around
changed the term from nitrate to “nitrogen the globe.41,42 Both the amount of pesticide residue
compounds.” They failed to find significant differ- on foodstuff and the amount released into the
ences between organic and conventional foods for atmosphere are factors that should be considered
ascorbic acid, iron, or magnesium, but did report when individuals purchase organically raised food.
higher phosphorus levels in organic produce. Although organic farming methods prohibit the
Unfortunately, this widely publicized review did use of synthetic pesticides, the produce can be
not include references for the 55 studies used for exposed to chemicals already in the soil from
its conclusions, so validation of the findings is not previous use and from compounds that percolate
possible. For this reason, this article will focus on through the soil. Except for crops grown under
conclusions for vitamin and mineral differences cover, organic farms are also subject to exposure
from the other reviews. from pesticide drift from neighboring farms and
Regarding nutrients the other reviews agree on, global transport of chemicals. This exposure occurs
organic foods have more vitamin C, iron, phospho- from compounds that settle to the ground during
rus, and magnesium than conventional foods. both the growing season and the off season, and
While this is an important finding, it is cast in a exposure can continue during transport and
brighter spotlight when it is recognized that during distribution. The level of various heavy metals in
the last 50 years vitamin C, phosphorus, iron, organically raised produce was higher in crops
calcium, and riboflavin content has been declining grown in open fields compared to the same crops
in conventional foodstuffs grown in this country.15 grown in a greenhouse.43 The researchers noted
Since quantities of some nutrients seem to be this was due to atmospheric contamination; root
increasing in organic foods, organic foods appear vegetables also absorbed toxins from the soil.
to provide better nutrition. While no pesticides or herbicides can be used to
grow crops that are certified organic, these crops
Phytonutrient Content are not free of insecticide residues, although
In the last 20 years the importance of the significantly less so than the same foods grown by
phytonutrient content of foods has been estab- non-organic methods (including integrated pest
lished. These compounds, including carotenoids, management systems).
flavonoids, and other polyphenols, have been the Levels of pesticide residue on foods in the
focus of much study, and many are now provided United States are monitored through the Pesticide
as dietary supplements. Flavonoid molecules are Data Program of the U.S. Department of
potent antioxidants.16-18 The carotenoid lycopene Agriculture (USDA). A review that utilized the
has been shown to help reduce cancer risk.19 The USDA data, along with data from Consumers
anthocyanin compounds in berries have been Union and the Marketplace Surveillance Program
shown to improve neuronal and cognitive brain of the California Department of Pesticide
functions and ocular health and protect genomic Regulation, reported that organically raised foods
DNA integrity.20 Because of the health benefits of had one-third the amount of chemical residues
phytonutrients, they have been the focus of much found in conventionally raised foods.44 When
recent research on the nutritional value of organic compared to produce grown with integrated pest
foods (Table 1). management techniques, the organic produce had
one-half the amount of residue. In addition,
organic foods were much less likely than

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Environmental Medicine

Table 1. Nutrient Content of Foods: Organic versus Non-Organic21-38

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Food Nutrient(s) Tested Results

Potatoes in Czechoslovakia Ascorbic acid; chlorogenic acid (the polyphenol Organically grown potatoes had lower levels of nitrate and higher
that is responsible for much of the antioxidant levels of ascorbic acid and chlorogenic acd.22
activity of coffee, and that has been shown to
protect paraoxonase
1 activity21)

Highbush blueberries in New Jersey Sugars, malic acid, total phenolics, total All nutrients tested were higher in organic than conventionally
anthocyanins, and antioxidant activity grown blueberries.23

Strawberries, marionberries, and Ascorbic acid and total polyphenols All three foods had significantly higher amounts of ascorbic acid and
corn from an organic farm in Oregon total polyphenols than their conventionally grown counterparts.24

Black currants from five conventional Total polyphenols Slight but not statistically different amounts of total polyphenols
and three organic farms in Finland from organic farms (4.73 versus 4.24 g/kg); no information on how
long the farms had been organic.25

Syrah grapes from France Anthocyanin content Conventionally grown grapes had higher levels of anthocyanins; no
information of history of the organic vineyards.26

Grape juice from Brazil Total polyphenols; resveratrol Significantly higher levels of total polyphenols and resveratrol in
organic juice.27

Golden Delicious apples Total antioxidant activity (polyphenols provide 90 Two of three years the antioxidant activity of organic apples was
(three-year study) percent of the total antioxidant activity)28 15-percent higher than conventional apples; no difference in the
third year.29

Plums Ascorbic acid, alpha- and gamma-tocopherol, Organic orchards with soil left as natural meadow, ascorbate,
beta-carotene; total polyphenols tocopherols, and beta-carotene were highest; in organic orchards
with Trifolium groundcover, total polyphenols were highest,
although highest levels of total polyphenols were in the
conventional plums.30

Peaches and pears (three-year study; Total antioxidant activity, total polyphenols, Higher antioxidant, total polyphenols, and ascorbic acid in organic
five-year-old orchards) ascorbic acid fruit.31

Red oranges from Italy Total polyphenols, total anthocyanins, ascorbic Organic oranges had higher levels of total polyphenols, total
acid, total antioxidant activity anthocyanins, ascorbic acid, total antioxidant activity.32

Varieties of wheat from India Protein, starches, gluten Higher protein, more easily digestible starch, and lower gluten in
the organic wheat; no information on history of the organic
farms.33

Oats from Sweden Total polyphenols No significant difference between organic and non-organic;
differences from year-to-year and among cultivars; no information
on history of the organic farms.34

Milk Omega-3 fatty acids (alpha-linolenic acid [ALA] Organically raised dairy cattle yielded higher levels of omega-3s;35,
and eicosapentaenoic acid) 36 no difference in vitamins A or E.37

Grana Padano cheese from Italy Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), ALA Higher levels of CLA and ALA in cheese samples from
organic milk.38

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amr ® Environmental Medicine

non-organic produce (by a factor of 10) to have two consisted predominately of conventionally grown
or more residues. Only 2.6 percent of organic foods foods. Children eating organic foods had a six-fold
had detectable multiple residues compared to 26 lower level of organophosphate pesticide residues
percent of conventionally grown foods. Data from in their urine than those who ate more convention-
the Pesticide Data Program reveals conventional ally. The same research group tested preschoolers
produce with the highest percentages of positive before and after changing their diets from conven-
(insecticide residue) findings were: celery (96%), tionally grown to organic foods. When the shift
pears (95%), apples (94%), peaches (93%), straw- was made to organic diets the urinary levels of
berries (91%), oranges (85%), spinach (84%), malathion and chlorpyrifos became undetectable
potatoes (81%), grapes (78%), and cucumbers until their conventional diets were restored. Five
(74%).45 The study found that an average of 82 different OP metabolites were measured with mean
percent of conventional fruits were positive for levels of 0.01, 0.2, 0.3, 4.6 and 5.1 µg/L while on
insecticide residues compared to 23 percent of conventional diets.48
organic fruits. Regarding vegetables, 65 percent of
conventionally grown produce tested positive, Potential Health Benefits of Organic
compared to 23 percent for organic vegetables. Foods
Fruits and vegetables with the highest and Since organically raised food typically has higher
lowest percentages of residues in the USDA study levels of health-promoting phytonutrients and
are similar to the listing of the most and least toxic certain vitamins and minerals and lower levels of
foods available on the internet through the insecticide residues, one could assume that they
Environmental Working Group (Table 2).46 Table 3 would provide health benefits. Unfortunately,
lists the least toxic produce. studies looking at the potential health benefits of
organic foods are scarce, and all but one are focused
on implied health benefits. The majority of these
studies look at antioxidant activity in humans,
Table 2. The Environmental Working Group’s 12 Most
although some in vitro studies examined the
Toxic Fruits and Vegetables (in order of toxicity)
anticancer potential of some organic food products.
Peach Nectarine Lettuce
Apple Strawberries Grapes (imported) Antioxidant Studies
Bell pepper Cherries Carrot Two studies examined whether drinking organic
Celery Kale Pear wine provides greater protection against LDL
oxidation than conventional wine. Neither study
(both by the same group of researchers in the same
year) found a difference between organic and
non-organic wine; however, red wine of either
Table 3. The Environmental Working Group’s Least Toxic agricultural method provided greater inhibition of
Produce LDL oxidation compared to white wine.49,50
A double-blind crossover trial of six Golden
Onion Asparagus Papaya
Delicious apple consumers was conducted to
Avocado Sweet peas Watermelon
determine the difference in antioxidant activity
Sweet corn Kiwi Broccoli
between organic and non-organic groups.51 Golden
Pineapple Cabbage Tomato
Delicious apples have some of the lowest polyphe-
Mango Eggplant Sweet potato
nol content of any apple.28 In this study there was
no difference noted in total polyphenol levels
between organic and conventional apples, and thus
Not only have repeated studies shown that
no difference in antioxidant activity. Information
organic foods have lower levels of insecticides, clear
on the maturity of the organic orchards was not
evidence also indicates reduced pesticide exposure
available for review. As a follow-up study, fruits
levels in consumers of organic foods. The reduced
from mature organic orchards with higher polyphe-
level of organophosphate pesticide (OP) on organic
nol content, as noted above,29 could be used with
foods was demonstrated by a study of Seattle
subsequent measurements to determine whether
preschoolers.47 In that study, 39 children were
higher phenol levels would alter the antioxidant
divided into two groups – those whose diets were
status in humans.
at least 75-percent organic and those whose diets

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Environmental Medicine
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Another small study (n=16) was conducted with in human health. This study, by some of the same
subjects who were eating either a conventional or researchers who examined the CLA content of
an organic diet. Levels of flavonoid excretion and breast milk, studied whether diets containing
antioxidant function were measured.52 Surprisingly, varying amounts of organic foods affected allergic
although the organic consumers had higher levels manifestations in 815 two-year-olds.56 Food
of urinary quercetin and kaempferol, they showed consumption for the second year of life was studied
no difference in antioxidant activity. However, based on conventional (<50% organic), moderately
organic oranges with higher antioxidant content organic (50-90% organic), or strictly organic (>90%
provide greater antioxidant protection in vitro.32 organic) diets. When all organic foods were taken
into account, there was a non-significant trend
Anticancer Potential toward lower eczema risk (OR: 0.76) for those on a
In a study of the potential for vegetables to strict organic diet. But, when the types of organic
suppress the mutagenicity of various environmen- foods were examined individually, consumption of
tal toxins, including benzo(a)pyrene (BaP, the main organic dairy products did result in a statistically
carcinogen in cigarette smoke and auto exhaust), significant advantage for lower eczema, those
organic vegetables were more active than their children consuming organic milk and milk products
conventional counterparts.53 Against the chemical having a 36-percent reduction in risk of having this
4-nitroquinoline oxide, organic vegetables sup- allergic skin disorder.
pressed 37-93 percent of the mutagenic activity,
while the commercial varieties suppressed muta- Problems to be Resolved for Future
genicity by 11-65 percent. When measured against Studies
BaP, organic vegetables suppressed 30-57 percent Although recent articles report minimal or
of the mutagenic action, while commercial veg- questionable health benefit (including nutritional
etables only suppressed 5-30 percent of the superiority) of organic foods,12,14 a closer look at
mutagenic activity. Organic strawberries also block the published literature yields a different, but
proliferation of HT29 colon cancer cells and MCF-7 somewhat complicated, picture. First, it is difficult
breast cancer cells.54 For both cancer cell lines the to locate all articles pertaining to organic foods
extracts of organic berries were more potent in using PubMed. This is partly due to the fact that
reducing cellular proliferation than conventional PubMed does not have a Medical Subject Heading
strawberries. (MeSH) term for “organic food.” Instead the term
“health food” must be used and paired with other
Essential Fatty Acids terms such as “nutritional value.” The references
The increased amounts of omega-3 and -6 fatty for this review were discovered only after multiple
acids in organic dairy were noted in Table 1. The searches, including “related articles” searches on
fatty acid content of breast milk from 312 Dutch the initial studies. In addition, other pertinent
women was studied to determine whether this articles were found in the reference lists of the
resulted in a human effect.55 CLA content was studies reviewed. Without these reference lists, the
measured in 186 women who ate a conventional only article that actually measured health out-
diet, in 33 women who ate a moderate amount of comes with organic food56 would have been missed.
organic meats and dairy, and 37 women whose Recommendations that PubMed add a MeSH
diets contained at least 90-percent organic meats term for organic foods can be made at http://www.
and dairy. Statistically significant increases (from nlm.nih.gov/mesh/meshsugg.html.
0.25 weight % to 0.29 weight %) were found for the Another major problem for a food to be termed
women who ate a moderately organic diet com- “organic” is that governmental regulations in the
pared to the conventional diet, and an even greater United States and the European Union set only
increase (0.34 weight %) for those who ate the minimal benchmarks for organic certifiability. The
strict organic diet. United States requires that land not have conven-
tional chemicals (non-organic) applied for three
Actual Health Benefits of Organic years before certification can be received.57 But, as
Foods can be seen from the 10-year tomato study at UC
Only one article was found that measured Davis,7 it can take up to 10 years for an organic plot
whether an organic diet makes an actual difference to mature. The studies on nutrient content of

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amr ® Environmental Medicine

organic foods reveal that results are 2. Magnusson MK, Arvola A, Hursti UK, et al. 11. Worthington V. Nutritional quality
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