The global organic food & drink market is continuously increasing and expected to reach $320.5 billion by 2025.
There are a variety of contributing factors behind this trend, more and more people buy organic food hoping to feel healthier, whilst having a positive impact on the environment, but is it actually the case?
For plants, the term organic means something grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. However this is misleading. The truth is organic farmers can still use fungicides and pesticides, they just have to be non-synthetically made. There are currently tens of chemicals approved for organic use derived from natural sources like plants. However, studies have shown that some natural pesticides are actually a more serious environmental and health risk than man-made ones. Not to say that they are all bad, but ‘natural’ does not always mean better for you, or the environment.
What about organic food’s nutritional value? After analysing 237 studies, researchers concluded that organic fruit and vegetables are no more nutritious than conventionally grown food. It is worth noting however, long term studies of purely organic diets are difficult as most people eat a mixture of foods with non-organic ingredients. Those on short-term organic diets did show higher levels of carotenoids, polyphenol, vitamin C and E, LDL cholesterol, and antioxidant activity. However, the difference remains clinically insignificant.
Most surprising, this study showed organic food in fact has a higher incidence of being dangerous. According to a report from the Food and Drug Administration in association with the US Department of Agriculture, organic foods account for only 1% of agricultural acreage, however they accounted for 7% of all recalled food in 2015.
To conclude, eating organic foods can be good for you, and in some way be better for the environment. Production methods vary greatly for both organic and conventional foods and it is likely a combination of the methods that will lead to the greatest results on your health and the environment. When it comes to your own health, it is really a combination of diet, exercise, and lifestyle choices above all else.
Mathieu, Consultant, Leyton France
 “Organic production: authorisation 39 substances in line with principles of organic production”, European Commission, May 2016
 “Choosing organic pesticides over synthetic pesticides may not effectively mitigate environmental risk in soybeans”. Bahlai CA, Xue Y, McCreary CM, Schaafsma AW, Hallett RH. PLoS One. 2010 Jun 22;5(6):e11250
 “Are organic foods safer or healthier than conventional alternatives?: a systematic review”. Smith-Spangler C, Brandeau ML, Hunter GE, Bavinger JC, Pearson M, Eschbach PJ, Sundaram V, Liu H, Schirmer P, Stave C, Olkin I, Bravata DM. Ann Intern Med. 2012 Sep 4;157(5):348-66..
 “Recalls of Organic Food on the Rise, Report Says,” Aug. 20, 2015, Stephanie Strom, The New York Times