No evidence organic foods benefit health: study

Reuters on Yahoo ^ | 5/24/10 | Reuters

[NormsRevenge]

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.

The review, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, adds to findings reported last year by the same research team.

In that study, the researchers combed through 162 articles published in the scientific literature over the last 50 years, and found no evidence that organic and conventional foods differ significantly in their nutrient content.

For the current review, the researchers were able to find only 12 published studies that met their criteria for evaluating the health effects of organic foods.

[MollyKuehl]

The "standards" you refer to are decided by the USDA. Allow me to be skeptic regarding their decision since they are by far not prepared to deal with a major food contamination or outbreaks.

I go solely by the standards I grew up with, from my grandparents' farm. It suffices for me to make my own decision on what I should feed my family.

[Scythian]

Not really, only a foolish person choose to eat foods laiden with pesticides when they can have pesiticide free food. Oh, wait, I’m sorry, you probably mean marketing from the perspective that pesticides don’t harm you, I’m sorry, I see now, you’re right, the marketing has worked well ...

[MollyKuehl]

I will continue to be an avid supported of local businesses, may that be farms, mom-n-pops grocery stores, bookstores, pharmacies and so on since they are my neighbors. The fabric of entire world is changing where the chain stores become the norm while the caring, personable and quirky local stores succomb to the big guys. Small businesses all the way and that includes the local co-ops!

[Aussiebabe]

Obviously, you are a perfect example of just how great the organic marketing folks are doing their jobs. As I wrote the organic industry does the best job of marketing as any industry has ever done in history.

[Ditter]

Why are you so defensive? No one is against you eating organic but did you happen to see that program on TV where people are given the opportunity to pick out the organic fruit or vegetable by taste? It was hilarious! A table was set up on a busy sidewalk and 3 vegs, or fruits are on the table for a taste test. People are told that one is organic and they are to taste all 3 and then pick out the organic. No one could do it, they were all stunned that they picked a conventionally grown food and declared it was delicious and didn’t like the organic.

[Tunehead54]

A couple of days ago I googled home grown sprouts and found lots of info that helps you grow your own so you can safely enjoy sprouts.

Here's one "recipe" site: How To Grow Your Own Alfalfa Sprouts: Part One

Unfortunately a site I found that seemed to have everything seems to be down today: http://www.sproutpeople.com/ Hope its just a temporary web problem ...

We grew sprouts a long time ago but the sproutpeople seem to have some interesting mixes and LOTS of info - just FYI. ;-)

[dennisw]

Don’t panic go organic

[MollyKuehl]

I believe you confuse being defensive with standing by my beliefs.. some can argue semantics!!!

[Ditter]

You said “why is everyone being negative about my beliefs?” If that is not being defensive I don’t know what you would call it.

[Tunehead54]

Update: http://www.sproutpeople.com/ is back up ... ;-)

[MollyKuehl]

You said “why is everyone being negative about my beliefs?” If that is not being defensive I don’t know what you would call it.

My exact quote was "Funny how everyone has something negative to say about my choice of using organic food yet at no time have I been disparaging about others' choice of conventional products."

My statement has no emphatic overtone as you made the choice to present it as the proof :) Shall we move on or would you rather continue with adolescent need to be right or have the last word? I prefer neither since there's no purpose for it.

Cheers!

[JustaDumbBlonde]

"So if my choice of paying more for organic food, using the money I earn, caring for my family the way I chose makes me a .. chump in your eyes, well so be it."

Well, I certainly didn't mean to hit such a nerve with you, woman. My comment to you was not 'negative', it was factual. Apparently I didn't think you too much of a chump since I actual told you that I use some 'organic' pesticides, but hey, if it makes you feel better to pitch a hissy fit when presented with the truth, so be it.

[Ditter]

Molly you are new here. You are going to catch a lot of sh** with your defensive attitude. We don’t all agree here and we feel free to say so, doesn’t mean you are not free to voice your opinion.

[MollyKuehl]

Well, I certainly didn't mean to hit such a nerve with you, woman. My comment to you was not 'negative', it was factual. Apparently I didn't think you too much of a chump since I actual told you that I use some 'organic' pesticides, but hey, if it makes you feel better to pitch a hissy fit when presented with the truth, so be it.

Hissy fit? Now you're being quite adorable..woman! Reality still is that I no time have I engaged in a personal attack or degrading remarks as you did yet you felt compelled to do so. So be it, to each is own, some have argus-sight while others deal with delusions :) You continue thinking that you sure "schooled" me and feed off this satisfaction for the rest of the day! Whatever empowers you, dear :)

Cheers!

[aruanan]

"So if my choice of paying more for organic food, using the money I earn, caring for my family the way I chose makes me a .. chump in your eyes, well so be it."

Let's see, someone is induced into parting with a greater than normal portion of his money by the seller's appeal to his sense of pride or fear by making him feel smarter or less likely to suffer harm if he buys the product, even though there's no evidence available to back up the seller's claims, that person would not be called a wise consumer but, rather, a _____.

[MollyKuehl]

My "newbie" status is irrelevant and for anyone to think so it's nothing more than a liberal attitude of elitism of some sort. I do respect your polite and kind stand, it separates you from many who think that a joining date holds more value than substance. Participating in a healthy dialogue in a forum, especially this one, involves more than just posts. It also involves quarterly financial contributions, something which I've done for a while for the sole reason that Jim's site (and Rush) were the only conservative voices in the diaspora for over a decade.

Again, while it may seem redundant, I appreciate your mannerism. Some should use it as an example :)

[MollyKuehl]

Let's see, someone is induced into parting with a greater than normal portion of his money by the seller's appeal to his sense of pride or fear by making him feel smarter or less likely to suffer harm if he buys the product, even though there's no evidence available to back up the seller's claims, that person would not be called a wise consumer but, rather, a _____.

The gvt is equally concerned and convinced it knows better than a consumer how one should actually spend his/her own money. I do, however, love the hardcore conviction coming from "conservatives" attempting to tell me how wrong I am on my choice, some in quite vile way, same people who are quite upset with a gvt attempting to do the same thing. That doesn't make you a wise consumer, that makes you a hypocrite. So unless you or anyone else is donating, unbeknown to me, to some fund which actually supports me and my family, I respectfully suggest to worry about your own expenses au lieu of mine.

[trisham]

As I type, I’m cooking some spinach from my garden, I know that cooking it loses some of the nutrients but I’m replacing them with bacon grease.

*******************

LOL!

[dennisw]

Best way to grow sprouts is in a clay flowerpot that keeps it all moist but doesn’t drown them.

[Ditter]

The newbie status is only relevant in that the newbie might not understand the attitudes of freepers. I am not alone in believing the old adage “opinions are like a..holes, everybody has one”. :)