No evidence organic foods benefit health: study

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Consumers who opt for organic foods often believe they are improving their health, but there is currently no strong evidence that organics bring nutrition-related health benefits, a new research review finds.

A "disappointingly small" number of well-designed studies have looked at whether organic foods may have health benefits beyond their conventional counterparts', according to the review, by researchers with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Health in the UK.

Moreover, they found, what studies have been done have largely focused on short-term effects of organic eating -- mainly antioxidant activity in the body -- rather than longer-term health outcomes. And most of the antioxidant studies failed to find differences between organic and conventional diets.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100524/hl_ ... ZB49hzfNdF

I found this fascinating. I never buy organic. To me, organic means "with bugs." Any organic only people out there? What's your opinion?

I would seriously have to question the validity of this report. My aunt only eats healthy, organic, and takes vitamins every day for about 50 years. She's 80 and seems like 60. Even has the long sexy hair to go with her bad self. lol Anyway, if you only buy one organic vegetable ever, do yourself a favor and buy organic potatoes. You wouldn't believe how much pesticides regular potatoes have. The prices on organic are coming down. Sunflower Markets (only in town) have AMAZING prices on fruits and veggies btw.

Better living through chemicals!

I buy organic when it's feasible (not too expensive) and I buy only organic dairy foods. It just makes sense to me that eating foods grown without chemicals is better for the body. Any body; because the body doesn't need to filter through the bad stuff to get to the good. I think mankind is so used to thinking that we can do better and know better than nature that chemicals of all sorts are everywhere and we accept it. I just happen to believe the opposite. I'm also a vegetarian, but that's only because I don't like the idea of eating somebody that once had a face, a personality, a family/social unit of its own. It is all personal preference.

pinedust wrote: Better living through chemicals!

:bash rofllol

I never buy organic. I like the idea, but the fruits and vegtables look worse and cost more.
With the new link between pesticides and autism, I may need to re-examine organic, or cut down on my vegtable and fruit consumption!

LopingAlong wrote: I'm also a vegetarian, but that's only because I don't like the idea of eating somebody that once had a face, a personality, a family/social unit of its own. It is all personal preference.

Would you eat them if you could hear them scream?

Researchers from Michigan State University have discovered that plants have a rudimentary nerve structure, which allows them to feel pain. According to the peer-reviewed journal Plant Physiology, plants are capable of identifying danger, signaling that danger to other plants and marshaling defenses against perceived threats. According to botanist Bill Williams of the Helvetica Institute, "plants not only seem to be aware and to feel pain, they can even communicate."

http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/20 ... n_pla.aspx

Veggies and fruits don't have faces or families that I know of, so I'm ok with eating them. Like I said, it's just my choice and I don't ask anyone else to do as I do; just what I feel best about is all.

I thought I heard on the news this morning that this study focused only on nutritional value and did not take in to account or even look at the presence of possible chemical additives, such as pesticide residue, or preservatives.

Grady wrote: I thought I heard on the news this morning that this study focused only on nutritional value and did not take in to account or even look at the presence of possible chemical additives, such as pesticide residue, or preservatives.

That makes a lot of sense! I don't believe everything that's written, or that I'm told. To me it's just common sense. Do I want to eat something with chemicals on it, or something without chemicals on it? Duh, no brainer to me. That said, cost has prevented me from eating the good stuff too often. But I do compare when I shop and if the price is the same I go for the better choice. All to often I hear "experts" (a legend in their own minds more like lol ) debunk the notion of organic. Right. They are "experts" on everything. I don't listen to their dribble or b.s. either. It's just common sense!