Farm to Table

1251 Words3 Pages

“Don’t put that in your mouth!” Many of us remember our parents saying those very words whenever we would try to sample some odd find, whether it was a toy, rock or plain old dirt. Nowadays, more and more people are saying just that in regards to fruits and vegetables grown the conventional way, and saying yes to organically grown produce. From healthier food to an economic boost to helping protect our environment, organic produce has several advantages over regular produce. Perhaps the most important benefit is to the consumer, in terms of health benefits. More and more studies are showing that organic produce may contain more of the stuff that’s good for our bodies: vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Nutritionist Virginia Worthington found there were significantly more nutrients in organically-grown produce and grains than in their conventionally-grown counterparts after evaluating 41 published studies weighing the differences between organically grown and conventionally grown fruits, vegetables, and grains (Worthington 161-173). Also, University of California at Davis researchers compared the antioxidant levels in corn, marionberries and strawberries grown using conventional, organic and sustainable methods in a 2003 study. The results: Antioxidant levels in sustainably grown corn were 58.5 percent higher than conventionally grown corn, while organically and sustainably grown marionberries had approximately 50 percent more antioxidants than conventionally grown berries. Sustainably and organically grown strawberries had about 19 percent more antioxidants than their conventional counterparts (“Nutritional Considerations”). Many other studies have comparable findings, yet further research is still needed to fully determin... ... middle of paper ... ...Farm Performance in Minnesota" mda.state.mn.us. University of Minnesota. 2008. PDF file. 28 Apr. 2011 "Nutritional Considerations." organicitsworthit.org. Organic Trade Association. n.d. Web. 5 May 2011. “Organic Fruit and Vegetable Sales.” Chart. n.p. 5 May 2011. Reuben, Suzanne H. “Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk: What We Can Do Now.” deainfo.nci.nih.gov. National Cancer Institute. April 2010. PDF file. 5 May 2011. Riddle, Jim. “The Constellation of Organic Values.” newfarm.rodaleinstitute.org. Rodale Institute. 10 Nov. 2005. Web. 20 Apr. 2011. Worthington, Virginia. “Nutritional Quality of Organic Versus Conventional Fruits, Vegetables, and Grains.” The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 7.2 (2001): 161–173. EBSCOhost. Web. 5 May 2011. Zelman, Kathleen M. “How to Eat Organic Foods on a Budget.” webmd.com. 12 Sept. 2008. Web. 20 Apr. 2011.

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