Abstract

Organically grown food has the notion that it is healthier than its conventionally grown counterparts. There is substantial research that has been done on the effects of pesticides on produce and how these foreign chemicals have negative effects on the environment and the people consuming these chemicals. While this is a known fact, the big question is if organic food is more nutritious than its conventional counter parts. There is minimal research on the actual nutritional quality of organically grown produce versus conventionally grown produce. Various studies have looked at vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. There are many discrepancies among the studies looking at nutritional quality, as they did not all measure the same nutrients or use the same variables. The produce examined included the following: pistachios, chickpeas, oranges, strawberries, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers and onions. There were few studies that had overlaps among the nutrients that were measured. Even among the discrepancies, some conclusions can be drawn with regards to nutritional quality but a better evaluation of choosing to “go organic” should be based on a multitude of factors including time of life, the environmental concerns and income considerations. More research on nutritional quality would need to be completed for a more accurate conclusion to be drawn with regards to which type of farming produces the most nutritional fruits and vegetables. At this point in time, the decision to eat organic produce should be based on the pesticide usage.

Semester/Year of Award

Fall 2018

Mentor

Erin K. Eliassen

Mentor Professional Affiliation

Family and Consumer Sciences

Access Options

Open Access Thesis

Document Type

Bachelor Thesis

Degree Name

Honors Scholars

Degree Level

Bachelor's

Department

Applied Human Sciences

Department Name when Degree Awarded

Family and Consumer Sciences

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