Where’s the beef tomato?

Research reignites ‘healthy organics’ debate

Is organic food better for you? The argument is an old one, but some newly published research has spiced it up, putting tomatoes in the front line. Grown organically, it seems, they’re almost twice as rich in flavonoids. They’re the anti-oxidants that are widely believed to protect the heart – hence the publicity for anti-oxidant-rich “superfoods” such as blueberries and dark chocolate. They’ve also been linked to reduced instances of some forms of cancer.

Professor Alyson Mitchell of the University of California found, in ten years of trials, that it’s the lower nitrogen content in organic soils that makes the difference – and that the longer a field is managed organically, the more anti-oxidant levels increase. The conclusions tally with other research showing that organic strawberries, apples and green peppers also coming high up the nutrition scoreboard.

It’s not all about nitrogen levels. Shelf life, transport conditions, pest attack, wounding, pathogens and different harvesting methods are also factors in determining how nutritious any given plant is. The independent consumer watchdog organisation, the Food Commission UK, warned that flavonoid levels are adversely affected by reduced sunlight and early harvesting; so intensively farmed organic produce may rate no higher than slowly grown and ripened non-organic stuff.

Speaking for the organic lobby, Peter Melchett, policy director of the Soil Association, urged the Food Standards Agency to keep its nutritional advice to consumers under review. The FSA’s position to date is that any nutritional benefits remain unproven. Nor has it made up its mind about why, whether or how many flavonoids might help your heart. Its detailed research on this won’t be completed before 2010. Which is a long time to wait before you tuck into your flavonoid-full tomatoes – let alone those much-touted blueberries, dark chocolate and red wine. – Alice Unwin

 

19 September 2007

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