Organic food will help lengthen lives

Organic food is more nutritious than normal produce and may help to lengthen people’s lives, because organic fruit and vegetables contains as much as 40% more antioxidants, which scientists believe can cut the risk of cancer and heart disease.

A four year British study had researchers growing fruit and vegetables and rearing cattle on adjacent organic and non-organic sites on a 725 acre farm, attached to Newcastle University, and at other sites in Europe.

They found that levels of antioxidants and desirable fatty acids in milk from organic herds were up to 90% higher than in milk from conventional herds.

As well as finding up to 40% more antioxidants in organic vegetables, they also found that organic tomatoes from Greece had significantly higher levels of antioxidants, including flavanoids believed to reduce coronary heart disease.

Professor Carlo Leifert, of the University of Newcastle, said that there is enough evidence now, that the level of good things is higher in organics.

The UK Food Standards Agency is at present reviewing evidence, before deciding whether to change its advice about the benefits of organic food in comparison to conventionally grown food.