Friday, September 3rd, 2010

Organic or Not?

Almost 7,000 new food and beverage products were introduced to the U.S. retail market in 2008. Organic product introductions made up a growing number of these. USDA ERS image.

Organic foods seem like they should be healthier -- but does the evidence support that idea? One new study published in the journal PLOS One found that organic strawberries contained higher levels of certain phytochemicals, including vitamin C, than conventionally-farmed varieties. In addition, the soil in the organic strawberry farms was healthier and more genetically diverse. The finding contrasts with other research, however, that has found no better nutrition from organic foods. We'll talk about the current state of research into organic foods, and what remains to be discovered.