Author: AIPM

Should you spend the extra cents to buy organic produce? Is organic a healthier choice? New findings from Stanford University cast some doubt on the benefits of buying organic.

“There isn’t much difference between organic and conventional foods, if you’re an adult and making a decision based solely on your health,” said Dr. Dena Bravata from Stanford’s Center for Health Policy. The study compares the nutrition of organic and non-organic foods and is published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

This is the broadest study to date comparing organic and conventional foods. The researchers did not find strong evidence that organic foods are more nutritious or carry fewer health risks than conventional options, though consumption of organic foods can reduce the risk of pesticide exposure.

The popularity of organic products, which are generally grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers or routine use of antibiotics or growth hormones, is skyrocketing in the United States. Organic foods are often twice as expensive as their conventionally grown counterparts.

Although there is a common perception-perhaps based on price alone-that organic foods are better for you than non-organic ones, it remains an open question as to the health benefits.

The researchers found no consistent differences in the vitamin content of organic products, and only one nutrient-phosphorus-was significantly higher in organic versus conventionally grown produce (and the researchers note that because few people have phosphorous deficiency, this has little clinical significance).

There was also no difference in protein or fat content between organic and conventional milk, though evidence from a limited number of studies suggested that organic milk may contain significantly higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids.

The review yielded scant evidence that conventional foods posed greater health risks than organic products. While researchers found that organic produce is 30 percent less likely to be contaminated with pesticides than conventional fruits and vegetables, organic foods are not necessarily 100 percent free of pesticides. What’s more, as the researchers noted, the pesticide levels of all foods fell within the allowable safety limits.

“If you look beyond health effects, there are plenty of other reasons to buy organic instead of conventional,” noted Dr. Bravata. She listed taste preferences and concerns about the effects of conventional farming practices on the environment and animal welfare as some of the reasons people choose organic products.

Ingredients for chicken:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (3 oz each)

1 egg white (or substitute liquid egg white)

1 cup fat-free evaporated milk

1 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 cup rolled oats, crushed; pulse a few times in the food processor

1 cup whole-wheat flour

2 Tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil

Ingredients for salad:

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2 Tbsp olive oil

4 cups red leaf lettuce, rinsed and dried

1 cup cherry tomatoes, rinsed and halved

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Place chicken in a freezer bag with the air squeezed out and pound each breast down to one-half-inch thickness. Combine the egg white and evaporated milk in a bowl and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and crushed oats and mix well. Coat the chicken breasts in flour and shake off the excess. Dip the chicken breasts in the egg and milk mixture and drain off excess. Then dip the chicken breasts in the breadcrumb mixture to coat. Discard leftover breading mixtures.

Heat oil in a large sauté pan. Stir fry the chicken over medium-high heat on one side until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes). Turn carefully. Pan fry the second side for another 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the pan and place on paper towels to soak up excess oil. Place on baking sheet and finish cooking in the oven for about 5-8 minutes (to an internal temp of 165ºF).

For the salad, combine lemon juice and olive oil, and mix well to make a dressing. Toss the lettuce leaves and cherry tomatoes with the dressing, salt, and pepper.

Makes 4 servings (1 chicken breast, 1 cup salad): 264 calories, 11 g total fat (2 g saturated fat), 49 mg cholesterol, 263 mg sodium, 3 g fiber, 18 g carbohydrates.

From the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s cookbook Keep the Beat Recipes: Deliciously Healthy Dinners.