Organic foods have certain requirements to be certified organic including not using pesticides or growth hormones. While organic foods are perceived to be healthier, studies have found mixed results. Some studies found higher levels of nutrients in organic foods while others found no significant differences compared to conventional foods. People are willing to pay more for organic foods for perceived health and environmental benefits, but the higher costs and mixed research results mean the benefits of organic foods over conventional do not clearly outweigh the costs.

1. Organic Food Value:
Educating Buyers of America
By: Kelsey Lafferty
Biology 100, Section 007

2. What are Organic Foods?
Organic Foods have a list of prerequisites they must meet
to be qualified as organic foods…
No pesticides can be used currently or in the past three
years
No growth hormones
Pests, weeds and diseases are managed by biological or
physical controls
Animals must be provided with access to outside
Organic farmers must apply for certification from the
government

3. History of Organic Farming
The term organic farming came from Lord
Northbourne’s book, Look to the Land in 1940
1990- $1 billion food consumption
2008- $21.1 billion
2009- $23 billion
2012- estimated to be much higher

4. Question
Are organic foods actually
better for you than
conventionally grown foods?

5. What people think about Organic
Foods..

6. Benefits of Organic Foods
Less pesticides found
Higher levels of vitamin C, iron, magnesium and
phosphorous - reported by a study done by Worthington
(2001)
Greater levels of antioxidant chemicals
Consumption of diary makes significant difference in
health outcomes for allergic dermatitis
1/3 of chemical residues compared to conventionally
raised foods

7. Pesticides
70% of consumers have said they purchased organic foods
to avoid pesticides
Less pesticides found in organic than conventionally
raised foods
Pesticides can kill plants; people do not want to be
consuming them
Studies show most pesticides do not lead to health
concern
Occupational exposure present a greater health risk than
consumer exposure to pesticides

8. Negatives
Results are greatly affected by the length of time a plot is
organically farmed
 Local geography
 Weather patterns
 Ground cover
 More land required
Studies that prove health benefits are scarce; implied
health benefit
Price is much HIGHER than conventionally grown foods

9. Organic foods, why people don’t buy
Cost
Convenience
Availability
Food is not as appealing because they do not
get polished and may spoil quicker

10. Studies about Organic Foods
Woese and others reported on 150 studies of many different
foods that there were no major nutrient level differences
between organic and conventionally grown foods
Lockie claimed from his study that organic foods have less
pesticide residue, but has no added vitamin or mineral
content
Lockie study found that people with higher education and
higher incomes tend to purchase organic

11. What to consider when shopping
Organic foods Conventionally grown
Easier to get in season foods:
from a local farmer ✳Less expensive
Reduction of pesticides ✳Available all season
More costly ✳Potential for more
May not look as appealing pesticide use and residue
(less shiny apples) but ✳Contains primarily same
does not mean it is not nutritional value as
delicious organic

12. Conclusions
Organic foods are healthy, but the benefits do not
completely outweigh conventional food
There have not been enough tests to prove that
organic food has a statistically significant health benefit
compared to conventionally grown food
Organic foods are not necessarily better for you and do
not give you any more nutrients than conventional
foods
 It is the perception that organic provides added health
benefits that gets people to buy them

13. Works Cited
http://www.altmedrev.com/publications/15/1/4.pdf
Walter J. Crinnion, ND
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/130/5/e1406.full.
pdf+html
Joel Forman, Janet Silverstein
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1750-
3841.2006.00196.x/full
Carl K. Winter, Sarah F. Davis
http://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/20359265/reload=0;jsessi
onid=F4BeOLVWYlUYesfISLdQ.4
Clinton WJ