When consumers reach for a strawberry in the produce aisle, will its nutritional value and sweetness vary depending on whether it was grown organically or not?
The answer is addressed in a new report from The Organic Center that details the nutritional difference that eating organic produce makes and the environmental, human health and socioeconomic benefits of organic produce production and farming.
The report’s findings are based on a review of 85 scientific studies throughout the world conducted over the last three decades on the health and environmental impacts of organic produce and agriculture, according to a news release.
“Healthy diets need produce. Fruits and vegetables — whether eaten fresh or cooked — provide essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to the human body. But not all produce is equal,” Amber Sciligo, The Organic Center’s director of science programs, said in the release. “Non-organic produce is often grown with synthetic pesticides and fertilizers which can be harmful to human and environmental health, while organic farmers rely on natural ecosystem services to manage pests and provide the nutrients for crop growth.”
The Organic Center says the impact of the widespread use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers in non-organic agriculture on human and environmental health has been well documented. Studies have shown that toxic chemical residues can linger on the surface of and within non-organic fruits and vegetables, drift into the air, be absorbed into skin, linger for decades in soil and seep into water supplies, the release said.
The new report shows that organic produce and agriculture benefit human health, the planet, and the farmers and farmworkers who grow food in a multitude of ways.
The Organic Center says organic produce is more nutritious and tastier than non-organic produce and contains more antioxidants and nutrients. Eating organic produce reduces dietary exposure to pesticides, while farming organically drastically improves the health of those growing food by limiting chemical exposure from pesticide application, the release said.
The farming practices used in producing organic fruits and vegetables foster more biodiversity, maintain and improve soil quality, boost water quality, protect air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help slow global warming, the center says. The higher premiums associated with organic products enhance farmers’ livelihoods and boost rural economies.
Organic produce constitutes a significant part of the $70 billion U.S. organic market, being the largest organic category when measuring organic retail sales. According to the Organic Trade Association’s “2024 Organic Industry Survey,” organic produce sales in the U.S. in 2023 hit a record value of $20.5 billion, with organic produce now accounting for more than 15% of total U.S. fruit and vegetable sales.
The Organic Center says organic production practices make a measurable difference in the produce consumers eat.
Naturally occurring compounds, such as disease-preventing antioxidants, are present with higher concentrations in organic produce; without being fed synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, the organic plants produce more of these natural compounds for their defense, the release said. The development of compounds like sugars, which contribute to the taste of the final product, are stressed by chemical pesticides, which ultimately causes sugar breakdown and inhibits sugar transport into the fruit.
Compounds giving produce a more pleasing aroma are more prevalent in organic, according to The Organic Center, which adds that greater activity from microbes in organic soils allows for more absorption of minerals at the plant’s roots, hence more nutritious minerals in the final product. The higher antioxidant levels in organic produce translate into a longer shelf-life for organic since antioxidants slow the rate at which fruit ages after harvest, the release said.
“It’s fascinating, and promising, that scientific studies are finding taste preferences for food grown more slowly and with environmentally friendly practices,” Sciligo said.
The Organic Center says the findings translate into a host of positives for organic produce, such as:
- Organic apples have higher levels of antioxidants, including flavonols and phenolic acids, raised by 66% and 31% respectively, compared to conventional apples.
- Organic oranges contain 11% more vitamin C, in addition to almost 22% more essential oils than non-organic oranges.
- Organic passion fruits have higher levels of vitamin C as a result of higher plant immune system activity throughout their development.
- Organic lemons have 20% to almost 40% more of three of the most common aroma-inducing compounds than non-organic.
- Organic green beans, aided by their longer shelf life, contain more key nutrients, such as the minerals potassium, magnesium, sodium, calcium, iron, zinc, and more vitamin C.
Funding for the report was provided by Organically Grown Co.
The Organic Center says its mission is to convene credible, evidence-based science on the health and environmental impacts of organic food and farming and to communicate the findings to the public. The center is an independent nonprofit research and education organization operating under the administrative auspices of the Organic Trade Association.