An American study has reported that organic tomatoes have twice the level of flavonoids as non-organic.

Flavonoids are a type of anti-oxidant. Anti-oxidants seem to be involved in helping you live longer (though the story seems to be complex and is far from finished). They may also be associated with reduced rates of some cancers and dementia.

The study was conducted over ten years by Dr Alyson Mitchell, a food chemist at the University of California, and colleagues, and was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

The study compared the amount of two flavonoids found in dried tomato samples.

Whether these differences in the plants are enough to make a difference to our health is another question. To study this would be a major project - so far one that hasn’t been done. It does seem though that there are differences between organically grown and non-organically grown produce - and it seems that the differences in the organic are towards what is healthier for us.

Also organic production doesn’t destroy the soil it uses and so is far more sustainable. (As you can tell I’m in favour of the organic movement.)

Much more information on organic farming is available from the Soil Association (a British organisation dedicated to promoting organic agriculture) on-line library.