Are Organic Vegetables Better Than Conventionally Grown Vegetables?

Organic vegetables have both health and environmental benefits

Organic vegetables are usually more expensive than conventionally grown vegetables, causing consumers to wonder whether they are worth the price. However, organic vegetables are superior to others when it comes to both your health and the environment.

Process

Organic vegetables are grown without the use of chemical fertilizers and toxic pesticides. The residue of these dangerous substances are present in conventional vegetables, while organic vegetables contain none.

Nutrition

Because of the lack of chemicals and quality of soil in organic farming, organic vegetables are more nutritious than conventionally grown vegetables. A study conducted by Nutrikinetics found that "organic crops contained significantly more vitamin C, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus and significantly less nitrates than conventional crops."

Sustainability

As the world's population increases, sustainable farming is becoming more of a concern. Christos Vasilikiotis, Ph.D., of the University of California reports that organic farming methods for vegetables like tomatoes and corn were comparable to conventional methods in terms of sustainability, with higher levels of organic carbon content and nutrients in the soil.

Environment

Not only is the lack of pesticides and herbicides on organic vegetable farms better for wildlife, organic farms also use less energy and produce less waste than conventional farms. Choosing organic vegetables supports these farms that are better for the environment.

Expert Insight

While there is some concern that organic vegetables have a greater risk of containing bacteria like E. coli than conventional vegetables, the University of California notes that "organic farming methods can potentially lead to microbiological contamination, but the literature has shown that organic produce does not carry any higher risk of significant microbiological contamination than conventional produce."

References

• Nutrikinetics
• "Can Organic Farming 'Feed the World'?;" Christos Vasilikiotis, Ph.D.; University of California
• Nature-International Weekly Journal of Science: Organic FAQs

Resources

• University of California