15 years ago, food scientists at University of California in Davis planted 10 adjacent fields to compare farming methods. The results? Definitive proof that organic growing methods result in distinct nutritional benefits.
In the August 2008 issue of Cooking Light magazine, James Beard award winning food writer Peter Jaret reports that the UC Davis researchers have found organically grown vegetables to contain “consistently higher levels of vitamin C and other antioxidants, including flavonoids, naturally occurring compounds in fruits and vegetables linked to reduced risk of heart disease and certain cancers.”
Plant biologists call these substances “secondary metabolites,” and they are what make carrots orange and tomoatoes red as well as affect flavor and nutritional content.
Not to mention the reduced impact on the environment, our planet as a whole, and our own bodies. As I’ve said before, in America we vote with our dollars. If we want to be healthier and live in a healthier world, it’s up to us to step up to the literal plate and make our choices wisely and vocally.
