Opinion: In My View - Why choose organic?

I found it frustrating that buried in Appendix 12 of a 220-page report, the nutritional benefit of organic was in fact shown higher than non-organic food - and strange that this wasn't included in the headlines.

Through our research with the Organix Foundation and our participation in the food industry, we have been campaigning for nearly 20 years on high-quality food standards for children. We introduced organic food to the UK baby food market because we are convinced about the nutrition and health benefits of organic. In fact, we are concerned by the levels of pesticides that are increasingly found on the fruits and vegetables sold across the UK.

I believe that organic food is safer. Organic farmers avoid the use of pesticides and toxins and the routine use of antibiotics. Organic food has far fewer additives. It is nutritionally superior, as food is produced or reared according to a natural lifecycle from soil replenished using compost rather than fertiliser. I believe organic food can taste better because of this. The farming is more responsibly managed, with hedgerows and natural habitats maintained in a way that industrial farming is not.

Is organic food 'healthier' than non-organic? To reduce exposure to toxins must be healthier. Organic food is grown in high-quality soil that uses natural processes to stay fertile and so will produce more nutritious food. To know that an animal has been well cared for and that the flora and fauna has a chance to continue to grow as it has for centuries is also part of a sustainable and healthier choice for our planet.

As one of the most tightly controlled methods of producing food, if there were no benefits from organic over conventional methods, why would we see overwhelming support for organic from farmers, growers, distributors, environmentalists, and of course consumers?

So for me, it's a resounding yes - organic is best, from the perspective of nutrition and good health.