Organic Vs. Conventional ~~Dr. Fuhrman

Organic vs. Conventional?
The Environmental Protection Agency reports that the majority of pesticides now in use are probable or possible cancer causes. Studies of farm workers who work with pesticides suggest a link between pesticide use and brain cancer, Parkinson’s disease, multiple myloma, leukemia, lymphoma and cancers of the stomach and prostate. (1) The question remains, however, does the low level of pesticides remaining on our food present much of a risk?Some scientists argue that the extremely low level of pesticide residue remaining on produce is insignificant and that there are naturally occurring toxins in all natural foods that are more significant. The large amount of studies performed on the typical pesticide treated produce have demonstrated that consumption of produce, whether organic or not, is related to lower rates of cancer and increased disease protection. Certainly, it is better to eat fruits and vegetables grown and harvested using pesticides than not eat them at all. The health benefits of eating phytochemical rich produce greatly outweigh any risk pesticide residues might pose.If it is available, organic food is certainly your best bet to limit exposure to toxic chemicals. Foods with the most pesticide residue are spinach, strawberries, peaches, raspberries, blackberries, grapes, cherries, apples, and celery. Imported produce is also more likely to contain higher levels of pesticides. (2)Organic food usually has more nutrients than conventional. (3) One study performed at the University of California at Davis found that foods grown organically had higher amounts of flavonoids, which have protective effects against both heart disease and cancer. The researchers found that flavonoids were more than 50% higher in corn and strawberries. They theorized that when the plants are forced to deal with the stress of insects, they produce more of these compounds, which are beneficial to humans. (4) Overall, organic foods taste better, and organic agriculture protects farmers and our environment. 1. Sanderson W.T. , Talaska G, Zaebst D, et al. Pesticide prioritization for a brain cancer case-control study. Environ Res. 1997;74 (2): 133-144. Zahm SH, Blair A. Cancer among migrant and seasonal farmworkers: an epidemiologic review and research agenda. Am J Ind Med 1993;24(6): 753-766.2. Reynolds JD, International pesticide trade: Is there any hope for the effective regulation of controlled substances? Journal of Land Use & Environmental Law, 1997;13(1). Whitford F, Mason L, Winter C. Pesticides and food safety. Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service pp22, Jan. 17, 20053. Worthington V. Nutritional quality of organic versus conventional fruits, vegetables and grains. J Alt Coml Med 2001; 7(2): 161-173.4. Grinder-Pederson L, Rasmussen SE, Bugel S, et al. Effect of diets based on foods from conventional versus organic production on intake and excretion of flavonoids and markers of antioxidative defense in humans. J Agric Food Chem 2003; 51(19): 5671-5676.


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