Organic Vegetables vs. Conventionally-Grown Vegetables

Many consumers feel they cannot afford organic foods, while others wonder if the health benefits are sufficient to merit the higher cost. Varying scientific conclusions further complicate the debate, but certain results may help consumers make informed decisions.

What Is Conventional Farming?

• It is difficult to definitively judge whether organic or conventional farming is better, partially because the term "conventional" is used broadly, while "organic" falls under strict parameters. A conventional farm could be a large industrial outfit, or a small family farm. The latter may actually practice organic farming without being certified.

Pesticides and Herbicides

• In the U.S., organic foods may not be treated with synthetic pesticides and herbicides, while conventional farmers are only limited to using government-approved products to kill weeds and pests. A 1998 study by S.H. Zahm and M.H. Ward of the Occupational Epidemiology Branch of the National Cancer Institute linked pesticides to childhood cancers.

Genetically Modified Organisms

• Some foods are genetically engineered to produce higher yields and certain genetic traits. Organic vegetables cannot be genetically altered, but conventionally grown produce can. Long-term effects of genetically modified (GM) foods are unknown, but a 2005 French study by researchers from 3 institutions showed liver and kidney toxicity and other negative health effects in rats given GM corn.

Processing and Handling

• No additives can be used on organic foods after harvesting, while conventionally grown produce can use government-approved additives. Since the USDA does not specify which additives can be used, the chart at the article's end provides side effects of commonly used food additives.

Nutritional Content

• According to the USDA, organic foods have, on average, higher levels of trace minerals, vitamin C and antioxidant phytonutrients than their conventionally grown counterparts.