Is Organic Healthier? What Science Says

While consumers may choose organic foods based on health concerns, scientists beg to differ.

A comprehensive study by the Center for Health Policy at Stanford University, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, concluded that organic foods are not significantly healthier than those produced conventionally.

Researchers studied existing data from 17 studies involving humans and 223 studies of nutrient and contaminant levels in food. They found no strong evidence that organic foods are more nutritious or carry fewer health risks than conventional foods. Vitamin content was the same. The only nutrient difference was a higher phosphorus content in organic foods. However, researchers noted this nutrient is of little clinical value, as few people have phosphorus deficiencies.