Is it true that products marked “organic” are more useful than ordinary?

It is believed that food products with the inscription "organic" (or organic) on the package have numerous healthy properties that are devoid of ordinary food. We decided to check if this is so.

Shopsspecializing in such products, write about her as “truly clean, natural and useful”, as well as more safe. Specialized Portals About nutrition and cooking declarethat such food Contains 50% more vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Similar opinion adheres to and an organization entitled "Union of organic farming." That organic products are more useful and tastier, write glossy magazines. Kirov branch of Rospotrebnadzor He thinks Organic products "key to healthy diet and safety."

Organic food Produced In compliance with certain rules, as close as possible to the method of growing plants and animals that our ancestors used for centuries. So that fruits or vegetables receive organic status in Russia, when growing them, mineral nitrogen fertilizers, synthetic pesticides and hydropopon technology cannot be used (method Growing plants without soil, when the roots fall into a solution from which all the necessary nutrients are obtained), there are certain requirements for the soil. In animal husbandry, the restrictions are even more strictly - the origin of the animal, the conditions of its content and nutrition are regulated there, the use of antibiotics for preventive purposes, hormones and other drugs stimulating growth is prohibited. In the production of organic products, genetic engineering cannot be used. Moreover, "organic" - Not a synonym “Natural” (that is, without dyes, flavor amplifiers, etc.), because in this case it is about the method of production, and not about the composition.

The popularity of organic products in the world is growing. So, in 2021, in the USA, sales of such vegetables and fruits for the first time exceeded Sales of agricultural products grown in the usual way - and both in revenue and volume. And this is despite the fact that due to a more complex production process, such products usually cost much more.

In the world there is no single system of certification of organic products, in different countries it is its own (although the requirements are about the same everywhere): in Russia - GOST 56508, in the USA - USDA Organic, in Japan - Jas etc. There is a single regulations The production of organic products for the EU countries. Moreover, in some European countries, for example, in Germany And France, there are certification systems that may make additional requirements.

Often on the packaging of organic products next to the designation like Organic, you can find the inscription "without GMOs". According to the regulations of different countries, such products really cannot be genetically modified. Nevertheless, "verified" already It wrote: There is no evidence that GMO carries any harm to human health. WHO Notesthat in countries where the use of products with GMOs is approved, their negative impact on the health of the population is not recorded. Specialists conducted review In total, more than 3,000 scientific research on this topic also did not find confirmation that GMO-production is dangerous. So in this sense, organic products have no advantages over ordinary ones.

Organic vegetables and fruits contain a larger number of antioxidants. So, in 2014, an international group of scientists conducted Meta analysis Existing studies found that the number of different types of antioxidants in organic food was from 19% to 69% higher (depending on the specific type of these substances). Antioxidants, in turn, are really useful: they Protect The body is from the free radicals -oxygen atoms in which one or more electrons due to the effects of adverse conditions or simply metabolism is without a couple. In this case, such atoms in our cells react with others, trying to “regain” the missing particle. A large number of them can bring To the so -called oxidative stress and, as a result, damage to the body's cells.

As for the nutritional value of organic products, in 2012 experts from Stanford University (USA) Spent A systematic review of existing studies and did not find convincing evidence that such products are much more nutritious. In 2017, an international group of scientists I did it A similar review. It turned out, despite the fact that organic dairy products and meat contained more omega-3 fatty acids, the difference was so small that it could not have any significant food value.

The same review also notes that the difference in the level of the content of the toxic cadmium metal in organic and ordinary products is minimal. But in review, published by researchers from different countries in 2014, the results are somewhat different: in organic products of this metal there was less than 48%less. Since cadmium can accumulate in the body, it is better that its content in food is as low as possible, they emphasize, even given that the indicators of ordinary products were also within the permissible.

Nutritionist Katie Mcmanus, director of the Power Department at the Harvard Hospital Brigham and Women's Hospital, He does not see The special advantages of organic products over the usual and argues that evidence that would speak of their greater health benefits is not enough. And given that such products are much more expensive, she does not consider it necessary to recommend them to her patients. To the similar conclusion Pediatricians from the children's hospital of the University of California in David also came. They note that organic fruits and vegetables have advantages, as they do not contain traces of pesticides, which, according to some reports, can contribute to the development of cancer, but otherwise they are no different from ordinary ones. However, the number of pesticide residues can be reduced In another way - with careful washing of fruits and vegetables and, if possible, cleaning them from the peel.

In 2018, French scientists published results research, conducted on the basis of a survey of more than 68,000 Frenchmen about their nutrition. They systematized information about the frequency of the use of organic products and data on the health of participants and came to the conclusion that the higher the level of “organic matter” consumption, the lower the risk of cancer. However, this is a correlation study, it does not reveal causal relations. Therefore, we cannot talk about the direct effect of organic products on reducing the risk of cancer, since concomitant factors were not taken into account. For example, people who are ready to spend money on noticeably more expensive organic products, in general, more attention Draw Its health and proper nutrition, so it is difficult to judge how much a role here was played by such an approach in building a diet.

In 2010, scientists from the Institute of Louis Bolka (Netherlands) conducted  experiment Above chickens. Different groups of birds were given either organic or ordinary food, and after 13 weeks they were killed and compared with physiological indicators. Some of the chickens during their lifetime also injured drugcausing an immune response to check the immunity reaction. It turned out that the birds that consumed ordinary food gained weight faster, and those who received organic had stronger immunity.

As for people, it is somewhat more difficult to establish a relationship. Review 2022, conducted by scientists from the Czech Republic, India and the USA, showed that the use of organic products led to a decrease in the risk of obesity by 11%. French study 2018 also revealed the reverse dependence between the level of consumption of organic products and the risk of metabolic syndrome (metabolic disorders, which includes obesity, type II diabetes and other disorders). In the same year, researchers from the United States conducted a systematic review And they revealed a lower incidence of diabetes in fans of organic products. But, as we said before, perhaps people who buy such products simply lead a healthier lifestyle, and a reduced risk of developing diseases is associated with this.

American Academy of Pediatrics He thinks, to identify the relationship between the presence of products with traces of pesticides in the diet and individual health consequences, additional studies are necessary. American Cardiological Association advises To include a variety of fruits and vegetables in the diet, regardless of the method of their production, since they are all equally useful. American Cancer Research Institute He does not see A direct relationship between the consumption of organic products and a decrease in the risk of developing cancer and also simply advises to eat as many different fruits and vegetables as possible.

It is believed that organic farming is less harmful to ecology, but it is also Merchant question. In connection with the rejection of a number of fertilizers and the rigid rules of soil use, organic production brings, according to some estimates, 25% less crop. So, to obtain the same number of food products, it is necessary to use more land, which ultimately also negatively affects nature. At the same time, ordinary agriculture really contributes to pesticides and nitrogen pollution that is distinguished from fertilizers. So in both cases you have to go to some compromises.

Thus, today there is no convincing evidence that organic products are more useful than usual. Studies have shown that there is some correlation between their use and a decrease in the risk of developing diseases such as, for example, obesity, cancer and diabetes. However, it should be borne in mind that people who prefer organic products usually adhere to a healthier diet in general, so it is quite difficult to establish a causal effect. The only proven advantage of organic products is in a higher level of antioxidants. In addition, they really do not contain residual traces of pesticides, but in conventional products their level can be minimized, thoroughly washing and, if possible, cleaning the fruit from the peel. The great environmental friendliness of organic production is also a controversial issue.

This is not for sure

What do our verdicts mean?

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