Danes Say Going Organic May Not Make You More Fertile

If you’re spending a ton of money on organic fruits and veggies listen up: A new study says traditionally grown products could be almost as good for your fertility . Here’s what you need to know. 

By Colette Bouchez

The premise seems so obvious it’s hard not to believe it: Vegetables grown organically, without the use of pesticides or chemicals should be healthier and more nutrient dense.

But at least according to one study, that’s just not true. In research presented this week in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, researchers from The Food Institute at the University of Denmark found that carrots, onions and potatoes grown under organic conditions generally contained no higher levels of antioxidants –among the key nutrients in veggies – or other healthful properties, than the same produce  grown commercially, using pesticides and other chemicals to help them grow.

According to Danish researcher Pia Knuthsen,  there are certainly many good reasons to pay the higher price that organic fruits and vegetables command – most notably better taste and possibly  health benefits that come from avoiding the chemical contaminants not found on organic food.

That said, if you’re buying organic because you think the nutrient value is higher, then Knuthsen says her studies show that’s probably not the case.

“On the basis of the present study carried out under well-controlled conditions, it cannot be concluded that organically grown onions, carrots, and potatoes generally have higher contents of health-promoting secondary metabolites in comparison with the conventionally cultivated ones. The ability of crops to synthesize selected secondary metabolites was not systematically affected by the growth system across different growth years and geographical locations,” says Knuthsen in the study.

Why  Organic May Not Be Worth The Price

For the current Danish study researchers cultivated onions, carrots, and potatoes in three different geographical locations over a two year period. One group of vegetables were treated to conventional agriculture techniques while two other groups were cultivated using organic farming methods.

After harvesting,  the scientists measured  levels of flavonoids and phenolic acids – two key types of antioxidants – in all three groups.

The result: There was no statistically significant differences between the level of nutrients found in  foods grown using traditional commercial agriculture methods and those grown organically. In short, the commercially grown, non-organic produce was as healthful, in terms of key nutrients, as that which was grown organically

Organic Food And Your Fertility

So, what does this mean to you – particularly if you’re trying to get pregnant? According to the book Green Fertility: Nature’s Secrets For Making Babies, the nutrients found in many fruits and vegetables can play a key role in enhancing fertility. Onions, for example, are one of the main sources of polyphenols and a rich source of flavinoids  – both of which  have been shown to play a key role in the production of healthy sperm.

Another group of polyphenols are phenolic acids, found in many fruits and vegetables, including carrots and potatoes can boost female fertility, by increasing blood flow to the ovaries and uterus, and help insure the health of every cell involved in conception.Other nutrients found in many types of fruits and vegetables can have direct effects on the reproductive hormones necessary for egg production and a health conception. So, a fertility diet high in these nutrients can be a real plus - whether you're trying to get pregnant on your own or looking to boost the success of your next insemination of IVF.

Certainly  it’s always a good idea to avoid chemical exposures when and where you can –particularly when you are trying to conceive. But that said,  it’s also comforting to know that many of the key nutrients which protect your reproductive system from chemical assaults, are in full force,  ieven in  the fruits and vegetables that aren’t grown organically.

The bottom line:  If you just can’t afford to “fork over” the extra bucks for organic fruits and vegetables, you can rest easy knowing that you’ll be helping your reproductive health by filling your plate with produce - no matter how or where it is grown! 

For more information on dozens and fruits and vegetables proven in medical studies to have specific and direct effects on fertility and getting pregnant, visit GreenFertility.com – or pick up a copy of Green Fertilty: Nature’s Secret’s for Making Babies. 

ColetteBouchez is the co-author of Green Fertility: Nature’s Secrets for Making Babies. 

Copyright by Colette Bouchez 2011 - All Rights Reserved. In addition to US Copyright, the text of this FERTILITY BLOG is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. All Formatting and style elements of this page are not available under this license and Colette Bouchez retains all rights in those elements. The owners and contributors to this blog may or may not financially benefit from the products and services associated with the materials presented herein.