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Organic Farming Elevates Antioxidants

The health benefit of organic food has been known for a long time. These benefits include higher levels of some essential vitamins and minerals and lower levels of pesticides. Recently, it has been shown through scientific studies that organic products are approximately 30 percent higher in antioxidants in comparison to produce grown on similar, conventional farms.

Scientists believe that this is due to the fact that the organically cultivated plants have to build up their own natural resistance to pests. When plants are under stress from pests, they produce a diverse array of natural chemicals called secondary plant metabolites (SPMs), many of which are antioxidants. Polyphenols such as those found in grapes are a great example of a SPM. SPMs also are responsible for giving fruit and vegetables their bright coloring and distinctive flavors.

An alternative/additional hypothesis for the increased antioxidant level is the fact that organically cultivated plants tend to grow slower and mature at a smaller size than their fast growing, heavily fertilized conventional counterparts. This is known as the "dilution effect".