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Living Maxwell

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Study: Organic has More Antioxidants, Much Fewer Pesticides, and Less Cadmium than Conventionally-Grown

The evidence as to why people should choose organic over conventional just keeps rolling in.

In a brand new study just published by researchers at Newcastle University in England, it was found that organic fruits, vegetables, and grains contained higher levels of antioxidants and lower levels of pesticides compared to the same conventionally-grown food.

Some details of the study include:

– The concentration of a range of antioxidants was significantly greater in organic than conventionally-grown:

* Phenolic acids: 19% more

* Flavanones: 69% more

* Stilbenes: 28% more

* Flavones: 26% more

* Flavonols: 50% more

* Anthocyanins: 51% more

Many of these compounds have previously been linked to a reduced risk of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and certain cancers.

– The frequency of occurrence of pesticide residues was found to be four times higher in conventional crops.

– Organically-grown foods, most notably grains, contained lower levels of cadmium, a toxic metal.

This study did not do its own testing of fruits and vegetables but was a meta-analysis based on 343 previous peer-reviewed publications. 

MY TAKE

None of this surprises me in the least, and this is just more confirmation of individual studies we have seen, which said that:

– Organic milk offers higher levels of Omega 3-s.

– Organic strawberries provide greater concentrations of ascorbic acid.

– Organic tomatoes have increased amounts of antioxidants.

What I hope people take from this study is that when comparing the price of an organic food item vs. a non-organic food item, increased nutrition must be factored into the equation.

As this study has pointed out, we are getting more for our dollar when we buy organic and conventional offers inferior nutrition.

For one of my absolute favorite antioxidant-rich, organic superfoods that I consume daily, check out E3Live BrainON.

A message from Tradin Organic

How Tradin Organic is Helping Coconut Farmers in The Philippines

For more than a decade, Tradin Organic has been working with local partners in The Philippines to bring a diversified range of organic products to the market, such as coconut oil, tropical fruits and even cocoa.

The company is helping to support local farmers by assisting them with technical support and organic certification, in addition to paying Fairtrade premium on top of the organic premium.

Learn more.

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Organic Insider

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The GMO ‘Golden Rice’ Experiment was an Ethical Disaster – One Shocking New Development

What GMO apologists will constantly tell you is that genetically-modified food is essential to feed the world.

They’ve spent so much money on lobbying and influencing politicians – $572 million from 1999 to 2010 – that a majority of people in Washington D.C. have actually come to believe this nonsense. (University of Michigan’s Catherine Badgley explains here why organic can feed the world.)

But GMOs, we are told, won’t just feed the world. They’ll supposedly nourish it as well.

One prime example of this is GMO ‘Golden Rice’, which was touted as a way to help solve a major global health problem by providing kids adequate amounts of Vitamin A. 

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A message from Tradin Organic

Why Tradin Organic is Prioritizing Regenerative Organic Farming

At Tradin Organic, we believe that regenerative organic farming is key to growing healthy and nutritious food ingredients — for now and for future generations.

And in Sierra Leone, we have grown the world’s first Regenerative Organic Certified cacao.

Learn more.

Living Maxwell

Must-Read

Why Organic is a MUST for Women — Pesticides Linked to Lower Chance of Pregnancy and Higher Risk of Pregnancy Loss

Each year when the Environmental Working Group (EWG) releases its “Dirty Dozen”  – the 12 most pesticide-laden fruits and vegetables that people should avoid – the major pesticide companies and their front groups launch a major PR campaign demanding that EWG stop publishing these annual lists, insisting that chemicals are not harmful.

The organic industry and health advocates completely scoff at these ridiculous claims. Furthermore, the State of California has declared that glyphosate, the most widely used chemical in the world and one that is routinely sprayed on our food supply, causes cancer.

And now we have a new report out of Harvard which reinforces the notion that pesticides can cause real harm, particularly for women.

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Living Maxwell

Must-Read

BREAKING: Impossible Foods is “Misleading Consumers” About its GMO Protein, FDA Rejects the Claim That it is Safe for Consumption

* Impossible Foods is “misleading consumers” about the key ingredient in the Impossible Burger.

* The Company told the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) that its soy leghemoglobin was  “substantially similar” to proteins consumed daily by the global population, in the form of meat and other vegetables.

However, on the Impossible Foods website, it claims that the heme in the Impossible Burger is “identical” to the heme humans have been consuming for hundreds of thousands of years in meat and other foods. 

* The FDA told Impossible Foods that its arguments “do not establish safety of SLH (soy leghemoglobin) for consumption.” The company decided to sell the Impossible Burger to the public anyway.

* Impossible Foods relied on the expert testimony of scientists who have worked for or have links to Monsanto, the Gates Foundation, Philip Morris and all of the major biotechnology companies.

* 20 minutes after eating an Impossible Burger for the first time, a man Tweeted “went into anaphylactic shock & taken to ER.”

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One of the biggest stories in the food world over the past few years has been the Impossible Burger, the plant-based burger that bleeds when you bite into it.

The goal of the Impossible Burger is to help make a dent in climate change by offering a plant-based burger that does not come from an animal. Animals require a tremendous amount of water and feed, and also produce greenhouse gases. Because the burger is made from plants, the other thing that the Impossible Burger would do is to help alleviate the killing of animals.

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livingmaxwell: a guide to organic food & drink