Why organic fruits and vegetables are better for you
Organic fruit and vegetables are much better for you –
and scientists have finally been able to explain why. Organic produce
are not grown with nitrogenous fertilizers, and so have to activate
their own defence system, which, in turn, increases their levels of
antioxidants.
For example, tomatoes that are organically grown have
higher levels of phenolic compounds – antioxidants that protect against
cardiovascular diseases, degenerative diseases and some cancers - than
conventionally-grown ones.
Even tomato juice and ketchup processed from organic
tomatoes have higher phenol levels than the more popular brands, say
researchers at the University of Barcelona.
In all, the researchers found 34 different phenolic compounds in the organic tomatoes they analysed.
They reckon that the greater the stress a plant experiences – by protecting itself against pests and disease – the more the polyphenols they produce. Plants protected by insecticides don’t suffer the same stress levels – and so don’t produce the health-giving antioxidants.
(Source: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2012; 60: 4542-9).
Inga kommentarer:
Skicka en kommentar