The cancer risk hiding in your salad bowl

For anyone who thinks spending a little extra for organic food isn’t worth it: It’s time to think again.

And you don’t have to take my word for it. Because according to a new study, more frequent consumption of organic food is linked to a lower risk of cancer.

French researchers recruited nearly 69,000 subjects, and then categorized them according to their consumption of 16 different classes of organic products. Lo and behold, after just five years, an undeniable pattern emerged…

More pesticides, more problems

During the follow-up period, subjects received nearly 1350 new cancer diagnoses. The most common of which were breast cancer (accounting for more than a third) — followed by prostate cancer, skin cancer, colorectal cancer, and lymphomas (like non-Hodgkin’s).

It just so happens that subjects who reported the highest organic food intake enjoyed a 25 percent lower risk of cancer compared to subjects who reported eating the least.

Of course, these results shouldn’t be surprising to anyone. Pesticides are everywhere — and they’re especially prevalent in conventional produce. Which makes the rising popularity of plant-based diets a pretty concerning catch-22.

Yet, these researchers still refused to come out and make a definitive recommendation to switch to organic.

Here’s their conclusion:

“For overall health, current evidence indicates that the benefits of consuming conventionally grown produce are likely to outweigh the possible risks from pesticide exposure. Concerns over pesticide risks should not discourage intake of conventional fruits and vegetables, especially because organic produce is often expensive and inaccessible to many populations.”

Why choosing organic is always worth it

Where do I begin with this nonsense?

I’ll start by pointing out that our modern food supply is a mess, to say the least. And unfortunately, pesticides are just one threat among many — including antibiotics, nutrient-depleted soils, and growth hormones.

So while I agree with the researchers about the importance of including fresh produce in your diet, at a certain point, you have to wonder about diminishing returns.

I don’t know about you, but I’m certainly not going to poison myself to save a few bucks. Dietary trials have shown that switching to organic foods will lower the concentration of pesticides in your urine. If you ask me, that’s well worth the investment.

I’d much rather budget more money for high-quality food and get the best of both worlds.

And if you’re a savvy shopper, you may not even have to adjust your budget all that much. Because the truth is, organic food has gotten a lot cheaper.

Just the other day, I went to my local supermarket because I didn’t feel like going out of my way to get my dog his carrots. (They’re the only snack he eats.) And as it turns out, the conventional carrots there were 50 cents more expensive than the organic ones I ultimately bought.

The world is changing. Slowly, to be sure — but ultimately in our favor.

In the meantime, you can learn even more simple, effective strategies for cancer-proofing your body in my Essential Protocol to a Cancer-Free Future. Click here to learn more, or sign up today.

Source:

medscape.com/viewarticle/903742