From Healthy Soil to Healthy Food: An Analysis of the Quality of Food Produced under Contrasting Agricultural Systems

Abstract

Studies under controlled experimental conditions show a clear advantage for staple food grown under biological/ecological farming conditions as compared to those from conventional farming methods. This is especially true for the vegetative parts of plant products, where lower undesirable (e.g. nitrates) and higher desirable (e.g. vit. C, trace elements) components are present. A better storage quality of plant products (e.g. cabbage, carrots) is also frequently the consequence of biological/ecological farming practices. An overall significantly lower level of residues of agrochemicals has been demonstrated in such products. It is increasingly noticeable, that especially in Central Western Europe, consumers are not exclusively interested in "healthier" food for themselves but also in an healthy environment. This is one of the important reasons, why they are interested in buying food from biological/ecological farming systems and why they are prepared to pay higher prices for such products.

Food for thought: Making the case for food produced via regenerative agriculture in the battle against non-communicable chronic diseases (NCDs)

“…One of the earliest studies suggested composted manure resulted in much lower nitrate levels (less risk of carcinogenicity) in leafy vegetables compared to nitrate-based inorganic fertilizer [ 152 ]. Similar findings were seen with other vegetables, with higher vitamin C and trace elements and less incidence of biocide residues [ 153 ]. Meta-analyses comparing conventional and organic fruits and vegetables observed improved vitamin C, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus and significantly fewer nitrates and lower amounts of some heavy metals in organic crops [ 154 ].…”

Nitrite content of maize samples from different regions of Turkey

“…High humidity in the storage of maize samples after harvesting may be another reason. Besides, the type of soil, type of water used in the watering of maize fields and type of growing may be other factors affecting the total nitrite content of the plant 35,36 . Contamination of samples with several nitrogen containing compounds may be another important cause of these high levels 8 .…”

Soil Health and Nutrient Density: Beyond Organic vs. Conventional Farming

“…A parallel comparison of nitrate concentrations in lettuce from seven paired conventional and organic farms also found a lot less in organic lettuce (Vogtmann et al, 1984). Several years later the same author reviewed the German agricultural literature and reported conventionally grown foods had far more nitrate and pesticides that those grown using organic farming methods (Vogtmann, 1988).…”