Fresh, organic produce cost more than their non-organic counterparts, which can discourage people from buying them. But a recent study published in JAMA Internal Medicine shows that organic products are worth every penny. In it, French researchers found that eating organic foods can reduce a person’s risk of cancer.

To determine the relationship between an organic food-based diet and cancer risk, epidemiologist Julia Baudry and her team conducted a population-based cohort study. This involved 68,946 French adults who reported their dietary intake as well as the frequency of their consumption of 16 organic-labeled foods. These included fruits, meat, plant oils and prepared meals, among others.

Taking both into account, the researchers then looked at the number of participants who developed any type of cancer within the span of 4.5 years. They identified 1,340 cancer cases, the most prevalent of which were breast cancer, prostate cancer, skin cancer, colorectal cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and 15 other types of lymphoma.

When the researchers compared the participants’ organic food scores with their health status, they found that those who frequently ate organic foods had a 25% lower risk of developing any type of cancer. The same people also had significantly reduced risk (73%) of developing non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and a 21% lower chance of developing postmenopausal breast cancer.

It might be tempting to assume that the group who ate organic food would be more health-conscious overall and likely had a healthier diet in general, and that may be responsible for the lower cancer risk. But according to the researchers, that simply is not true; even those who ate a low- to medium-quality diet yet opted for organic enjoyed the reduced cancer risk.

In their paper, Baudry and her team concluded that, should the findings be confirmed, promoting the consumption of organic food to the public could serve as a good strategy against cancer.

Pesticides have long been linked to cancer

The co-author of the commentary that was published alongside the study, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Associate Professor Dr. Jorge E. Chavarro, called the findings “incredibly important” and pointed out that they are consistent with the International Agency for Research on Cancer’s finding that pesticides cause cancer in humans.

Agricultural chemical firms have long insisted their products do not cause non-Hodgkin lymphoma. However, in August, Monsanto was ordered to pay a school groundskeeper who was terminally ill with the disease $289 million in damages, and they are facing class-action lawsuits on behalf of countless other cancer patients who have developed the disease from exposure to glyphosate.

Yes, organic is worth it

Although the study does leave some questions unanswered, the authors believe that the negative relationship between organic food consumption and cancer risk comes from the “significant” decrease in contamination exposure that takes place when people replace conventional food with organic varieties.

Defenders of conventional agriculture and those who profit from pesticides may argue that the study was flawed, but it’s hard for many people to justify continuing to take such a gamble with their health. In the past decade, the organic food industry has more than doubled. Last year, the Organic Trade Association reported that organic food made up 5.5% of all the food sold in the US. Although more people are making this healthy choice, it’s clear that more progress needs to be made in spreading the word about the benefits of choosing organic.

Sources:

JAMANetwork.com

Telegraph.co.uk

USNews.com