

Organic Foods
Are organic foods healthier and safer? Learn more in our easy-to-understand videos on the latest research.
You may be surprised to learn that a review of hundreds of studies found that organic foods don’t seem to have significantly more vitamins and minerals. They do, however, appear to have more nontraditional nutrients, like polyphenol antioxidants, perhaps because conventionally grown plants given high-dose synthetic nitrogen fertilizers may divert more resources to growth rather than defense. This may be why organic berries, for example, appear to suppress cancer growth better than conventional berries in vitro.
Based on its elevated antioxidant levels, organic produce may be considered 20 to 40 percent healthier, the equivalent of adding one or two servings’ worth to a five-a-day regimen. But people don’t just buy organic foods because they’re healthier—what about safety?
Conventional produce appears to have twice the levels of cadmium, one of three toxic heavy metals in the food supply, along with mercury and lead. What about pesticide residues? Buying organic foods may reduce your exposure to pesticides, but not eliminate them entirely. Pesticide residues have reportedly been detected in 11 percent of organic crop samples due to accidental or fraudulent use, cross-contamination from neighboring nonorganic fields, or the lingering presence of persistent pollutants like DDT in the soil.
What about organic meat, eggs, and dairy? The USDA organic standards don’t allow these animals to be fed or injected with antibiotics or steroids. All foods of animal origin—organic or not—naturally contain sex steroid hormones, though, such as estrogen, but the hormones naturally found even in organic cow’s milk may play a role in acne, diminished male reproductive potential, and premature puberty. And, in a comparison between meat from animals raised conventionally versus organically, all conventional chicken samples were contaminated with multidrug-resistant bacteria, but the majority of organic samples were, too.
The information on this page has been compiled from Dr. Greger’s research. Sources for each video listed can be found by going to the video’s page and clicking on the Sources Cited tab. References may also be found at the back of his books.
Image Credit: Jessica Spengler / Flickr. This image has been modified.
Popular Videos for Organic Foods


Are Organic Foods More Nutritious?
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Are Organic Foods Safer?
Organic food consumption appears to reduce exposure to pesticide residues and antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
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Are Organic Foods Healthier?
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Superbugs in Conventional vs. Organic Chicken
The level of multidrug antibiotic-resistant bacteria contamination is compared between meat from animals raised conventionally,...All Videos for Organic Foods
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Pesticides and Cancer Risk
Does choosing organic over conventional foods protect against cancer? The effects of pesticides on cancer risk.
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Ochratoxin in Breakfast Cereals
One of the few food contaminants found at higher levels in those eating plant-based diets are mycotoxins, fungal toxins in moldy food ingredients, such as oats.
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The Human Health Effects of Cultivated Meat: Chemical Safety
More than 95 percent of human exposure to industrial pollutants like dioxins and PCBs comes from fish, other meat, and dairy.
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The Effects of Hormones in Dairy Milk on Cancer
What are the effects of the female sex hormones in milk on men, women, and children?
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What About Kosher and Organic Chicken?
Comparing contamination rates for antibiotic-resistant E. coli and ExPEC bacteria that cause urinary tract infections
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Is Organic Meat Less Carcinogenic?
Researchers tested 76 samples of different kinds of organic and conventional meats for 33 different carcinogens.
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Carcinogens in Meat
What are the eight preparation methods to reduce exposure to carcinogens in cooked meat?
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The Role of Pesticides and Pollution in Autism
What are the effects of smoking, pesticides, vaccine mercury, and air pollution on autistic spectrum disorder risk?
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Culture Shock – Questioning the Efficacy and Safety of Probiotics
In certain medical conditions, probiotic supplements may actually make things worse.
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Arsenic in Rice Milk, Rice Krispies, & Brown Rice Syrup
I recommend people switch away from using rice milk.