About OEFFA
Investment Fund
OEFFA Policy
Begin Farming
News
Growers Resources
Seasonal Jobs Program
OEFFA Store
 

Links for the Summer 2009 Newsletter

Food Safety Article

Colloquy in the Congressional Record

NSAC's response to the Dingell letter

Nutritive Value of Organic Foods:
A Closer Look

THE ARTICLE IN CIRCULATION

This is an inaccurate article that has been passed around the organic community for many years in various forms and has recently been in heavy circulation on the web.

Please help stop the rapid spread of this misinformation.

Scientists Prove Superior Nutritive Value of Organic Foods

Researchers at Rutgers University set out to disprove the claim that "Organic Is Better." Up to now there has been very little hard evidence to support this supposition. Rutgers researchers expected the organic produce to be maybe slightly better in comparison, but the results were astounding! The amount of iron in the organic spinach was 97% more than in the commercial spinach, and the manganese was 99% greater in the organic. Many essential trace elements were completely absent in the commercial produce where as they were abundant, comparatively,in their organically grown counterparts.

Rutgers researchers purchased selections of produce at supermarkets and health food stores and analyzed them for mineral content. Organic foods were those grown without the use of chemical pesticides or artificial fertilizers. Non-organic foods, referred to here as "commercial," were grown with a variety of chemicals that enhance growth or destroy pests, many of which are known or suspected carcinogens (cancer-causing) and which cause greater erosion to the environment and wildlife.

(Incomplete Sample of table provided in article)

MAJOR MINERALS, Milli equivalents per 100 Grams Dry Weight:

Trace Elements, Parts per Million Dry Matter MINERAL:

Mineral:
Phosphorous
Magnesium
Snap Beans    
Organic
10.45
0.36
Commercial
4.04
0.22
 
Cabbage
Organic
10.38
0.38
Commercial
6.12
0.18
 
Lettuce
Organic
24.48
0.43
Commercial
7.01
0.22
 
Tomatoes
Organic
14.2
0.35
Commercial
6.07
0.16
 
Spinach
Organic
28.56
0.52
Commercial
12.38
0.27
 
 
Mineral
Sodium
Manganese
Snap Beans
Organic
40.5
60
Commercial
15.5
14.8
 
Cabbage
Organic
60.0
43.6
Commercial
17.5
13.6
 
Lettuce
Organic
71
49.3
Commercial
16
13.1
     
Tomatoes    
Organic
23
59.2
Commercial
4.5
4.5
     
Spinach    
Organic
96
203.9
Commercial
47.5
46.9
     
...The table goes on to cover Copper, Ash, Calcium, Potassium, Boron, Iron, and Cobalt content of these same vegetables.
     
     

These results show that organic foods are 3 to 100 times more nutritious than their commercial counterparts.

While many people are excited by the numbers, it is important to note that the original research is not sited. That is because it didn't happen. While misrepresented, this article does seem to be based on some actual research. (Rutger's Link)