Organic produce found to be higher in health-promoting compounds.

• Author: Halweil, Brian
• Position: Environmental Intelligence - Higher concentrations of antioxidants than in crops produced with pesticides

Foods grown without pesticides contain substantially higher concentrations of antioxidants and other health-promoting compounds than crops produced with pesticides, according to a new study from the University of California at Davis (UCD). The study confirms a long-held suspicion among some nutritionists and agricultural scientists that heavy use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers in modern agriculture can disrupt the ability of crops to synthesize certain phytochemicals-compounds that have antioxidant properties and are associated with reduced risk for cancer, stroke, heart disease, and other illnesses.

Researchers tested corn, strawberries, and marionberries (a type of raspberry) for the presence of phenolic compounds, powerful antioxidants found in most fruits and vegetables. Phenolics include some flavinoids found in grapes and other red fruits and vegetables, and vitamin C (ascorbic acid) found in most citrus fruits. All produce came from the same farm in Oregon, which grew the crops under organic (no synthetic pesticides or fertilizers), sustainable (reduced or no synthetic pesticides), and conventional conditions, while keeping crop variety, soil type, and time of harvest consistent.

Sustainably grown corn contained 58 percent more phenolics than conventionally grown corn, and organic corn contained 56 percent more. Similar results were found for marionberries...