As of today, there is no definitive research that 100% supports this claim. It is extremely difficult to conduct studies that would control the many variables that might affect nutrients, such as seeds, soil type, climate, post-harvest handling, and crop variety. However, some recently published studies in peer-reviewed journals have shown that some organic foods do have higher nutritional value depending greatly upon the growing environment. The question most debated at this point is whether or not that slight increase of Vitamin C in your organic tomato is going to make an overall difference in your nutrition.
When comparing the things Americans SHOULD eat against the things we ACTUALLY eat, the fact that we’re becoming, as a nation, more aware of what we’re putting into our bodies is promising indeed. If you’re anything like us here at Hoffman Certified Organics, we care about what we eat … to a point. We still buy some non-organic produce – we will gather around a birthday party and knock down a dozen cupcakes faster than you can blow out the candles. We think we’re average. We try to be healthy, but we’re not OBSESSED with eating all natural, all organic all the time! Although we still prefer the taste of organic meat over conventional meat, you’ll still find some good old fashioned non-organic coffee and heavy creamer in our kitchens. Some might say that considering the average diet and lifestyle of the average American, it seems a moot point to wonder if that apple you’re eating has +/- 20% of anti-oxidants in it. We say it’s not moot at all. We should all be aware of what we’re putting into our bodies. We understand that research is still being conducted … 100% conclusions have not yet been made … it’s controversial at best.
We aren’t going to tell you that eating organically will provide you with better nutrition because there isn’t any science out there to conclusively support that claim. Although the research isn’t clear regarding what organic food has more of, we CAN tell you that study after study conclusively states what organic foods DON’T have:
- ZERO pesticide residue
- Significantly LESS toxic metal cadmium
- ZERO growth hormones
- ZERO unnecessary antibiotics
Here are some links to some reliable news and medical articles that have come to the same conclusions; while the nutrient values in organic food is just a teeny bit better, the lack of hormones and pesticides is something to be taken into consideration. Until future studies come up with a 100% conclusive result, we’ll let you make your own decision!
Hoffman Certified Organics 