Believe it or not, the decision to buy organic has a positive impact on many areas of our lives;

• Climate change
• Fossil-fuel costs
• Greenhouse gas emissions
• Improving economic and environmental resilience for farmers and growers
• The use of hormones and chemicals in the food chain
• Animal welfare

But perhaps the most obvious reason many choose organic is simply for the taste.

A recent consumer poll has revealed organic fruit and vegetables score particularly highly on taste tests with 72% saying they taste better than non-organic. Meat also scores highly with 71% saying they prefer the taste of organic.

There is a growing body of research that shows organic food can be more nutritious for you and your family. Put simply, organic food contains more of the good stuff we need – like vitamins and minerals – and less of the bad stuff that we don't - pesticides, additives and drugs.

Research comparing the nutrient contents of organic and non-organic fruit and vegetables reveals a strong trend toward higher levels in organic produce. Of 27 valid comparisons of the mineral and vitamin C contents of organic and non-organic crops, 14 showed significantly higher levels in organic produce while just one favoured non-organic.  

 Organic fruit and vegetables also contain more protective antioxidants - plants contain some 5,000–10,000 naturally occurring compounds (known as phytonutrients) that are often involved in protecting the plant from pests and diseases.

Because organic crops are not artificially protected with pesticides they tend to produce more naturally occurring phytonutrients, many of which are now known to have protective (antioxidant) properties. Some are proving useful in the prevention and treatment of cancer.

 Pesticide residues are rarely found on organic food. In contrast, pesticides are found on one in three non-organic foods tested each year, and multiple residues of up to seven different compounds are not uncommon.

Organic food doesn't contain many of the additives that are allowed in non organic food such as hydrogenated fat, aspartame or artificial colours and flavours.

While food manufacturers can use more than 500 additives, organic food processors are prohibited from using a host of ingredients that researchers say may be harmful to our health such as aspartame, hydrogenated fat, phosphoric acid, sulphur dioxide, monosodium glutamate, or artificial flavourings and colourings.

Organic food is GM free. There is not enough evidence to prove that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are safe, and some animal feeding trials have revealed unexpected toxicities.

Applying common sense and the precautionary principle, organic farming banned the feeding of animal protein to farm animals well before the BSE crisis hit UK agriculture. The Soil Association has found no recorded cases of BSE in any animal born and reared organically.

Antibiotics are used extensively in non-organic farming to promote growth and to prevent disease in intensively reared, overcrowded farm animals.

High standards of animal welfare in organic farming minimise the need for antibiotics and other veterinary drugs which are used only when strictly necessary. Organic farmers have the support of Compassion in World Farming.

A government survey gave organic food a clean bill of health and confirmed expectations that organic methods, such as the careful composting of manure, minimise pathogenic risks such as E.coli o157.

In addition, a review of publications found that 'organic foods tend to be less contaminated' with mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are toxic fungi which can affect stored grain, nuts and dried fruit.

Whilst food and farming is currently responsible for 20% of the UK's current greenhouse gas emissions, organic farming typically uses 30% less energy than non-organic agriculture (DEFRA).