This just in. . .  a flurry of articles truimphantly reporting the results of a review study which found that there is very little difference in the nutritional content of organic food as compared to conventionally produced food.  The only problem is that more nutrition isn't the main reason people choose to go organic.  Most people choose organic foods because they are produced ethically, sustainably, and free from potentially harmful chemicals.

The last time this debate heated up was in late 2007 when the E.U. funded Quality Low Input Food (QLIF) Project released results of a study indicating that organic fruits and vegetables have up to 40 per cent more antioxidants than conventially-grown produce, and that organic milk contains up to 60 per cent more antioxidants than its conventionally-produced counterpart, as well as higher levels of healthy fat.  This latter finding was published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, and readers may find a copy of the study here.

The latest review, published in the July issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, looked a number of studies and concluded that the preponderance of evidence does not support the notion that organically grown produce is more nutritious. The authors did not conduct their own investigation into this issue, but simply reported on the studies which have already been done.

This whole debate, however, misses the point.

Organically produced food is made according to certain production standards, the primary one being the restriction of use of organophosphate pesticides.  Pesticide exposure is associated with a number of health problems including cancer, depression, neurotoxicity, and birth defects.  While the amount of pesticides that an average person consumes is generally considered to be safe, there is a concern over the levels to which farm workers are exposed. 

According to Barbara Haumann of the Organic Trade Association, the report fails to look at the big picture and does not address the primary reasons people choose organic food.  Says Ms. Haumann, "What we've said all along is that when a consumer buys an organic product he or she is supporting a system of agriculture that is healthier for the land and farmers producing that food because they're not exposed to pesticides."

She also noted that the study did not look at the issues of antibiotic use in livestock or genetically-modified foods.

When making the choice to go organic, it is important to be clear on the reasoning behind the decision.  If all one cares about is getting more nutrition, it makes much better financial sense to simply take a multivitamin than to shell out for organic products.   However if one is concerned about the ethics of the business practices involved in farming, the sustainability of the planet, and the consumption of antibiotics and pesticides, organic may still be a good buy after all.