Summary
The growing consumer interest fueled by the belief in the superiority of organic foods raises questions about their actual nutritional superiority over conventional ones. This assumption remains a controversial issue. The present study addresses scientific evidence to clarify this controversy and provide relevant insights for informed decision-making regarding dietary choices. We collected 147 scientific articles containing 656 comparative analyses based on 1779 samples of 68 vegetable, fruit, and other (cereals, pulses, etc.) foods, 22 nutritional properties, and nine residues. Results show that in 191 (29.1%) comparisons, there were significant differences between organic and conventional foods. In a similar quantity of cases (190; 29.0%), there were divergences in the results since some studies reported significant differences while others did not. Finally, most of the comparative analyses (275; 41.9%) showed no significant difference between organic and conventional foods. Therefore, the results herein show no generalizable superiority of organic over conventional foods. Claims for nutritious advantages would eventually be applied to specific comparisons, depending on the food type and nutritional parameter.
Outcomes reported
Source report: Diets & Regenerative Agriculture: Can Regenerative Agriculture support food security and diet goals? (2025); Diets & Regenerative Agriculture (2025); Can regenerative agriculture deliver nutritious food and a just food system? (TABLE/Agile, 2025) File: Diets and Regenerative Agriculture.pdf; Reckoning with Regeneration full report December 2025.pdf Ref#: Diets and Regenerative Agriculture.pdf #45 Original: Thaise de Oliveira Faoro, D., Artuzo, F. D., Rossi Borges, J. A., Foguesatto, C. R., Dewes, H., & Talamini, E. (2024). Are organics more nutritious than conventional foods? A comprehensive systematic review. Heliyon, 10(7), e28288. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.HELIYON.2024.E28288; Thaise de Oliveira Faoro, Daiane, et al. "Are organics more nutritious than conventional foods? A comprehensive systematic review." Heliyon, vol. 10, no. 7, 2024, p. e28288, https://doi.org/10.1016/J
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