Eating organic foods linked to lower cancer risk

There are already many reasons to opt for organic fruits and vegetables, and a new study has identified another: organic food consumption is linked to reducing the risk of certain cancers.

In a French study of 68,946 adults, those who consumed the most organic foods, compared to those who ate the least, were 25% less likely to develop non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and postmenopausal breast cancer.

The researchers interviewed the volunteers about their eating habits over three 24-hour periods and ranked them according to the frequency with which they ate organic products such as fruits and vegetables, meat and fish, meals ready to eat. eat, sweets, etc. They conducted each survey at different times for each person, but the study lasted an average of four and a half years.

During this period, volunteers developed a total of 1,340 new cancers, the most common being breast, prostate, skin and colorectal cancers.

However, the authors of the study point out that their findings are observational and can not prove that the consumption of organic foods is the exact cause of the decrease in cancer risk. The results suggest instead that the choice of biological options can help reduce the risk of cancer.

"Asking a question about organic food consumption … evaluates a behavior but not its causes," said Dr. Jorge Chavarro, a Harvard researcher at TH Chan School of Public Health and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston wrote an editorial on the study.

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In addition, researchers point out that the cost of organic food remains prohibitive for many people. Consumers may simply be able to take better care of their overall health because they can afford it.

"Organic foods (after confirming our results) may be important in reducing the risk of specific cancers, but the high price of these foods remains a significant barrier," write the authors. "Indeed, organic foods remain less affordable than the corresponding conventional products, and high prices are a major impediment to buying organic food."