A comment by food expert Professor Lesley Regan in a BBC Horizon program that will be shown next week, sparked debates in the country on whether organic foods indeed offer extra health and nutrition benefits.
Regan challenges the common belief that organic farming is better for people's health as well as the environment and animal protection. Health experts have come forward supporting Regan's comments regarding organic foods.
"I don't think we have uncovered anything to persuade me that there is a substantial body of evidence that can demonstrate that I should definitely only eat organic produce or should make organic produce the majority of my shopping basket," Regan was quoted as saying in the program
She also cited a similar finding made by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), which is the country's official food watchdog. She said, "I think as well one has got to reflect on the fact that the FSA has come to the same conclusion and their advice is that there is no nutritional difference between organic and non-organically produced foodstuffs."
According to researchers there is little evidence that an organic diet provides greater nutritional benefits or that non-organic crops grown using pesticides and chemical fertilizers are more harmful than their organic counterparts.
In addition, Tom Sanders, a professor of nutrition and dietetics at Kings College London, said that organic food has no higher nutritional value compared to conventional food. He said organic food producers are taking advantage of people by charging more for the food.
