Conventionally grown foods contain pesticide residues that are three to four times higher than those found in organic foods (traces may be due to atmospheric drift from other fields or soils), according to a review of 343 research studies published last June in the British Journal of Nutrition. The review, which included studies of food grown in different regions and seasons, also determined that organic foods contained higher levels of healthy nutrients such as minerals, vitamins and antioxidants (specifically polyphenols), compared to conventional foods, which also contained significantly higher levels of cadmium, a heavy metal toxin.
The study’s authors found evidence that the higher antioxidant and lower cadmium concentrations are linked
to specific organic growing practices such as avoiding mineral nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers, respectively. They commented, “Results indicate that switching from conventional to organic crop consumption would result in a 20 to 40 percent increase in crop-based antioxidant/polyphenolic intake levels.”
