27th October 2026
Is organic food healthier?
One view is that being free of pesticides etc organic food is healthier; it is also felt that such food may also be fresher (less dependent on chemical sprays to prolong its shelf-life), to be more nutritious, containing more antioxidants and being free of GM ingredients. Another plus view is that organic farming ensures better animal welfare and better welfare for the environment.
On the other hand organic food can be seen as expensive and overhyped.
Either way organic food has to be produced in accordance with a strict set of regulations that encompass how the soil is farmed and how livestock are raised and their access to open air and grazing.
Goulson reviews various research projects that aim to quantify the benefits or not of organic food. Two areas where there does seem to be clear evidence is that organically reared cows, wing fed more on grass, hay and silage, produce milk and meat that is higher in omega-3 fatty acids. The other clear benefit of organically raised livestock is that they are not routinely treated with antibiotics as a prophylactic meaning that less of these antibiotics in the environment and therefore less of a build up of antibiotic resistance.
He concludes “Overall, it is clear that those who eat organic food as part of various positive lifestyle choices will be exposed to fewer pesticides, consume more antioxidants and polyunsaturated fatty acids, and they and their children will be less likely to develop various ailments, from eczema to lymphoma. They can also feel relieved to know they are not funding the cruel industry of intensive animal husbandry and its associated ills, including the spread of MRSA. It seems like a no-brained to me: so far as you can afford it, eat organic.” (P90 Eat the Planet Well)
It strikes me that governments intent of benefiting their citizens – and reducing health costs – should be proactively encouraging organic food production AND ensuring that everyone can afford a healthy diet.
As regards GM crops, which Goulson also covers, he concludes “If the development of GM crops were funded by charitable bodies of governments with the goal of growing food more sustainably, their safety was carefully evaluated on a case-by-case basis, the seeds were given to farmers for free, and farmers were allowed to gather their own seed for future use, then I think GM technology has a place. When used to lock farmers into an intensive, high-in out farming system, it can be actively harmful. The value of GM technology depends on who is wielding it and where their motivation lies.” (P99 Eat the Planet Well)
