Study Finds Organic Food Is Higher in Antioxidants

Published April 12, 2015

You've probably heard that organic food is better for you and the environment, and you would be right. Not only is purchasing organic better for your body, it's also a great way to support the organic movement and keep it going. There are numerous benefits to eating more organic whole foods, and many of them are constantly being revealed in clinical studies. Did you know that organic food contains more antioxidants than conventionally-grown food? In fact, organic food may be one of the most potent ways to fight aging, reduce oxidative stress, and support energy.

Organic Food is Higher in Antioxidants

The benefits of purchasing organic include:

No GMOs
It's fresher
No growth hormones
No antibiotics
Animals aren't fed animal by products

Now comes a comprehensive review that's set to be published in the British Journal of Nutrition which compiled results from earlier studies to highlight trends. ^[1] Along with the above reasons to go organic, they also found that organic foods contain higher amounts of antioxidants (17 percent more), less of the toxic metal cadmium, and fewer overall pesticides.

Why are all of these good reasons to preference organic food? Let's look at the differences one-by-one.

More Antioxidants

You've probably heard about antioxidants, but what exactly are they, and why do you want them? The simplest definition of antioxidants is that they are chemicals that can help prevent (or at least slow down) damage to your cells. Several studies have found that antioxidants can reduce your risk of getting any number of chronic diseases.

Less Cadmium

As mentioned above, cadmium is a toxic metal. Over time, exposure to even small amounts of cadmium has been shown to cause bone softening and kidney failure, and cadmium is a known carcinogen, or cancer-causing agent. In short, the less you have in your body, the better.

Fewer Pesticides

We've known that pesticides are bad for us for decades now, yet we continue to use them in greater amounts than ever before. Just a few of the issues that have been linked to pesticides include headaches, nausea, reproductive issues, cancer, ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, impaired brain development, and behavioral disorders. Like with cadmium, the less you have around or inside of you, the better off you are.

One Final Thought

The authors of the study refuse to go so far as to say that eating organic food is healthier for you, but do go out of their way to mention that other studies have found that higher levels of some of the antioxidants they found have been linked to lower risk of a number of diseases. ^[2]

Do you eat organic? What foods do you eat organic, and what foods do you eat conventional? Please let us know in the comments!

-Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, NP, DACBN, DCBCN, DABFM