Organic fruits and vegetables are healthier than traditionally grown ones. After a 10-year study comparing organic tomatoes with ordinary ones, the former turned out to be richer in flavonoids.
Organic fruits and vegetables are healthier than traditionally grown ones. After a 10-year study comparing organic tomatoes with ordinary ones, the former turned out to be richer in flavonoids. These substances lower blood pressure and the risk of heart attack or stroke. Flavonoids, in addition to their positive role in the cardiovascular system, are also recognized in the fight against some cancers and dementia.
The team of Alison Mitchell, a chemist at the University of California, measured the levels of two types of flavonoids, quartceptin and campherol, in dried tomato samples. Their level was 79-97% higher in organic vegetables compared to others. New Scientist magazine points out that the reason for this difference may be the lack of use of fertilizers in the cultivation of organic products. Flavonoids are produced as a compensatory mechanism in the absence of nitrogen in the soil. Fertilizers supply a large amount of inorganic nitrogen, which is why the level of flavonoids is low.
There is a growing body of evidence on the difference between the nutritional value of organic and inorganic foods. Many European and American studies prove the greater value of organic products. Grown in natural conditions, without fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics, genetic modification, they are more useful, cleaner, but also more expensive.