Nov. 5, 2010 /EIN Presswire/ – In a shocking conclusion that is counter-intuitive to all recent food trends, a Danish research team has concluded that organic food products have no more health benefits than non-organic.
In its report the researchers say, “The demand for organic food products is steadily increasing partly due to the expected health benefits of organic food consumption.
“On the basis of the study carried out under well-controlled conditions, it cannot be concluded that organically grown onions, carrots, and potatoes generally have higher contents of health-promoting secondary metabolites (polyphenols) in comparison with the conventionally cultivated ones.”
The study was conducted by environmental scientists at the University of Copenhagen and published by the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
The Danish research team cultivated a total of 72 plots of land, at different times of year and in different parts of the country to get a balanced return.
Half the crops were cultivated using traditional farming methods including treating them with pesticides, non-organic fertilizers and nutrients. The other half were farmed organically, under conditions recommended by various organic food organizations.
After studying the results the researchers concluded there was little difference in the amount of polyphenols in either the onions or the carrots though a slightly higher level in organic potatoes than conventional ones.
Polyphenols are important chemical compounds that provide nutrients in the food supply.
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