Contribution of Organically Grown Crops to Human Health

Abstract

An increasing interest in organic agriculture for food production is seen throughout the world and one key reason for this interest is the assumption that organic food consumption is beneficial to public health. The present paper focuses on the background of organic agriculture, important public health related compounds from crop food and variations in the amount of health related compounds in crops. In addition, influence of organic farming on health related compounds, on pesticide residues and heavy metals in crops, and relations between organic food and health biomarkers as well as in vitro studies are also the focus of the present paper. Nutritionally beneficial compounds of highest relevance for public health were micronutrients, especially Fe and Zn, and bioactive compounds such as carotenoids (including pro-vitamin A compounds), tocopherols (including vitamin E) and phenolic compounds. Extremely large variations in the contents of these compounds were seen, depending on genotype, climate, environment, farming conditions, harvest time, and part of the crop. Highest amounts seen were related to the choice of genotype and were also increased by genetic modification of the crop. Organic cultivation did not influence the content of most of the nutritional beneficial compounds, except the phenolic compounds that were increased with the amounts of pathogens. However, higher amounts of pesticide residues and in many cases also of heavy metals were seen in the conventionally produced crops compared to the organic ones. Animal studies as well as in vitro studies showed a clear indication of a beneficial effect of organic food/extracts as compared to conventional ones. Thus, consumption of organic food seems to be positive from a public health point of view, although the reasons are unclear, and synergistic effects between various constituents within the food are likely.

Major phenolic compounds in black currant (Ribes nigrum L.) buds: Variation due to genotype, ontogenetic stage and location

“…However, season is well known to be a major contributor to variation in most types of compounds in the majority of all crops (Donno et al, 2013;Francisco, Cartea, Soengas, & Velasco, 2011;Johansson et al, 2014;Liu et al, 2014;Malik, Prieto-Linde, Kuktaite, Andersson, & Johansson, 2011;Tabart et al, 2006;Zheng et al, 2012). One factor that may have influenced the results of the present study is that the bushes were not pruned during season 1, but later when the bushes were actively used in this research project, pruning activities were carried out for the remaining seasons.…”

“…A recent review has also shown that among bioactive compounds, phenolic compounds are a major contributor to human health (Johansson, Hussain, Kuktaite, Andersson, & Olsson, 2014). A growing body of scientific data is being accumulated confirming that different parts of the black currant plant (buds, leaves and fruits) are important sources of beneficial phenolic compounds (Donno, Beccaro, Mellano, Cerutti, & Bounous, 2013;Raudsepp, Kaldm€ ae, Kikas, Libek, & Püssa, 2010;Tabart, Kevers, Evers, & Dommes, 2011;Tabart et al, 2007).…”

Organic Food in the Diet: Exposure and Health Implications

“…With the exception of the two most recent studies from the prospective pregnancy cohort in Norway (19,106), the remaining studies have been included in one or more of a number of scientific reviews and reports (7,17,27,29,46,50,55,73,82,99). The human studies include only five prospective cohort studies, and there is a general consensus that the scientific evidence from human studies is insufficient to conclude whether organic food is more beneficial for health in some respects than are conventional food.…”

Global Healthy Diet Approach to Nutrition

“…This prevention is the only option for low-income populations who will not be able to afford the additional costs of treatment for cardiovascular diseases, stroke, cancers, and metabolic diseases (Johansson et al, 2014). Some vegetables do even exert curative effects, such as lowering blood sugar and serum cholesterol levels, influencing the development of malignant tumours (cancerogenesis), and other disease-related conditions.…”