Is organic food healthier?

Tough break for the organic food industry, said Britain's Marie Claire magazine. It was "already struggling in the economic downturn as shoppers turn away from more expensive goods," and now the British government's food watchdog, the Food Standards Agency, has declared that organic food is no healthier than conventionally grown fruits and vegetables. This should come as a blow to organic farmers at the worst possible time.

These "shock" findings ought to wake up parents, said Ruki Sayid in Britain's Mirror, who have been shelling out extra money to buy organic because they thought it was better for their children. The study should also serve as a slap in the face to "the green lobby and high profile organic gurus like chef Jamie Oliver."

"Here we go again," said Leo Hickman in Britain's Guardian. This latest study has inspired "predictable front-page headlines implying organic food is little more than a myth and a rip-off," but the food watchdog agency has long banned organic food producers from claiming that their fare was nutritionally superior to comparable non-organic produce. But there are still plenty of reasons to go organic, including "the avoidance of pesticide residues" and the greater attention to "animal welfare" on organic farms.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up

And don't forget the environmental benefits of organic farming, said John-Paul Flintoff in Britain's The Times. All those pesticides and fertilizers dumped onto non-organic farms wash into our rivers and lakes. And if that doesn't convince you, consider this: If you try it, you might find that organic food simply tastes better.