>>
is out this morning which may make you
think twice
before spending money on
organic foods
. according to reservers at
stanford university
, they are not much healthier than convention meats, fruits or vegetables. diana in malibu with details on this. good morning to you.
>> reporter:
matt, good morning. if you're like me and millions of other americans you tend to reach for
organic foods
because you know they were grown without synthetic pesticides, antibiotics. sounds healthier. according a new study, not necessarily. if it says organic, many shoppers believe it must be better for you.
>>
i do it for my health and i do it for sustainability.
>> reporter:
but a new study from
stanford university
on the health advantages of
organic products
over their counter-parts. they evaluated 5,000 articles and over 200 studies.
>>
we found there were no specific foods or fruits that had any significant difference between organic and conventional. if people are looking for a really robust evidence base for differences, we simply did not find that.
>> reporter:
the stanford study did find
organic produce
is 30% less likely to be contaminated with pesticide revenue than conventional fruits and vegetables but found both to be safe for consumption. some doctors say the study's scope was too limited.
>>
it matters which pesticides. some are more toxic than others. it matters how many and how much pesticide that's not taken into account.
>> reporter:
the
organic food
business has grown tremendously over the last 20 years, it's worth over a billion dollars. a top adviser criticized the findings, because the author's very qualified conclusions do not match the data. pointing out by the study's own admission
organic food
does lower exposure to pesticides and resistance to antibiotics.
>>
when it comes to organic, food in general, we're making an investment in our body. every bite we take is an investment or debt we're taking out that we're going to have to pay someday. i think organic is an excellent investment in our health.
>> reporter:
many consumers say the extra cost is worth it for reasons that go beyond health.
>>
they last longer in your refrigerator. they taste differently.
>>
may not give the added
health benefits
but you know you're helping the smaller markets. i'd probably still do it either way.
>> reporter:
researchers acknowledge no study looking at the
health benefits
of
organic food
has exceeded two years, too short a period to gauge the impact they could make over a lifetime. another positive for eating organic, the same study found organic milk and chicken have higher levels of
omega 3 fatty acids
associated with better health. something to think about this morning when you're pouring that coffee. matt.
>>
diana, thank you very much.
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