Organic food might reduce heart attacks

March 15, 2002

09:40 14 March 02

Exclusive from New Scientist Print Edition

Eating organic food may help reduce your risk of heart attacks, strokes and

cancer. The finding will reignite the debate over its health benefits and

may force regulatory agencies to reconsider their position.

Until now there has been little scientific evidence to suggest that organic

food is any healthier than conventional produce. The head of the British

Food Standards Agency, Krebs, has gone so far as to say it is no

better. But Paterson, a biochemist at Dumfries and Galloway Royal

Infirmary, criticises Krebs for making such statements " on the basis of very

little information " .

Now Paterson and a team from the infirmary and the University of Strathclyde

have found that organic vegetable soups contain almost six times as much

salicylic acid as non-organic vegetable soups. The acid is responsible for

the anti-inflammatory action of aspirin, and helps combat hardening of the

arteries and bowel cancer.

" Eating organic may be good for you, " says Paterson. " I'm not an evangelist

for the organic food movement, but there was a fairly substantial

difference. "

Carrot and coriander

The average level of salicylic acid in 11 brands of organic vegetable soup

on sale in Britain was 117 nanograms per gram, compared with 20 ng/g in 24

types of non-organic soup. The highest concentration of the acid, 1040 ng/g,

was found in carrot and coriander soup made by Simply Organic based in

Bilston Glen, Scotland, while it was not detectable in four traditional

soups made by ish company Baxters.

Salicylic acid is produced naturally in plants as a defence against stress

and disease. This could explain why levels are higher in organic vegetables,

which are generally grown without protection from pesticides.

Earlier research by Paterson's team discovered significantly higher

concentrations of the acid in the blood of vegetarian Buddhist monks

compared with that of meat-eaters.

The Food Standards Agency now promises to study the new evidence. " We are

aware of the suggested benefits of high levels of salicylic acid and will

look at what the report has to say, " says a spokeswoman.

Journal reference: European Journal of Nutrition (vol 40, p 289)

Rob

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