Is organically grown food more nutritious? It seems like a no-brainer, but a recent study reviewing the topic concluded that it is no better that conventionally raised produce, at least in terms of key nutrient content. For many, that issue is beside the point; for them it is about sustainability, avoidance of hormones and antibiotics, and the larger ethical issues that apply. But the narrower question of nutrient content requires a more in depth view.
The study, published last month in the peer-reviewed American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, analyzed more than 160 published scientific reports on organic farming, specifically looking for nutritional analysis. (This included a handful of studies on livestock products, but most of the data was on crops.) The conclusion was that there was no greater content of vitamins and minerals in the organic products.
There's no reason to question the authors' conclusions, but in the larger context, nutritional science has moved beyond the simple question of vitamins and minerals. If that's all you are looking for, take a pill (though studies routinely show no benefit to doing so, with a few notable exceptions.) In recent years, the importance of polyphenols-the antioxidants that plants make for self protection-has come to center stage. The most famous example is resveratrol, the miracle molecule that is found primarily in red wine. These polyphenols have natural antibiotic activities, help protect against UV radiation, and provide support against many of the environmental stresses that affect both plants and people. So when plants have to fend for themselves more, without pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, they make more polyphenols.
Whether or not organically grown produce has higher polyphenol content remains an open question however. This is where the research needs to be directed in the future. In the meantime, if you can afford the extra cost of organic produce and it meshes with your philosophy of good living and anti-aging, there is good reason not to be dissuaded by this recent study.