Facts and myths about organic food

Organic is popular. So it's high time to list the facts and myths about organic food and health.

1. Organic is healthier

True and false. If you look at the long term, this seems unchallenged. After all, we all benefit from a healthy planet. But direct profit for your body, that's something else. More than 100 large studies have been done and they show that there is in any case no big difference between organic and normal food. There is hardly any evidence for great discoveries, such as that organic food gives you a better immune system.

True. It turns out that a cow that grazes nicely in the pasture produces milk with less saturated fat and more omega-3, CLA fatty acids, vitamin E and beta-carotene. Good for cow and human. However, not only organic cows eat grass. 80 percent of Dutch cows are outside for more than 120 days. This is a requirement for organic cows, so it is 100 percent. Incidentally, the milk of all cows is less healthy in the winter than in the summer, because then organic cows are also more indoors. [! 130652 => 1130 = 3!] 3. An animal that eats organically produces a healthier product

False. There is a lot of experimentation with feed, because it has a great impact on the health of animals and possibly also on the final product. There is therefore a chance that animal feeds will also be developed in the future that will produce truly healthier products. This has not yet been proven for organic feed. Sometimes the opposite even applies, for example with chickens with free range outside. Eggs from these chickens may contain more dioxins. The sector tries to keep the amount of dioxins as low as possible.

Sometimes true. Processed potato products, such as crisps and chips, contain acrylamide. This substance has been shown to be carcinogenic in laboratory animals. According to scientists, this probably also applies to humans. There are organic producers who have really focused on a lower acrylamide content, but that also applies to some ordinary producers. In a test by the Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (VWA) in 2007, there was no major difference between organic products and regular products. Organic chips and chips often score well on other fronts. During the development, the producer paid attention not only to the environment, but also to health. It then contains fewer calories and saturated fat than average products

True. But, according to the VWA, that also applies to regular vegetables. There are strict standards for the residues of pesticides that may be on the fruit and vegetables. Yet it does go wrong every now and then. Unfortunately, this can also happen with a biological product, because not all (bacterial) pesticides are prohibited in that sector. Yet hardly any exceedances were found for organic products. According to some studies, organic fruits and vegetables contain more healthy substances, such as antioxidants, but this has also been refuted by other research. Vitamin levels are much more related to whether a product quickly ends up in your cart from the country, in which season you buy it, etcetera.

Maybe true. You often buy organic products for the good feeling. The studies so far focus very much on the products. Can certain substances be detected, what are the differences? A lot of research is currently being done on this. Do you feel better when you eat organic? Did you have complaints that decreased after you switched? There are people who saw their allergies decrease or who felt fitter. Moreover, for fans of organic, perhaps the same applies as for vegetarians. Research shows that vegetarians often eat healthier than meat eaters. According to some scientists, this is mainly because they buy, cook and eat more consciously. It always helps your body.

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