Aging Backwards Tuesday Tips #21: It's a Natural

A study of organic produce has found that it is more nutritious than ordinary produce and may help to lengthen people's lives. The research project, with a price tag of 24 million dollars, showed that organic fruit and vegetables contain as much as 40 percent more antioxidants, which are believed to help fend off cancer and heart disease. They also contain more beneficial minerals such as iron and zinc, the UK's Sunday Times reported.

Researchers grew fruit and vegetables and raised cattle on adjacent organic and non-organic sites on a 725-acre farm attached to Newcastle University and at other sites in Europe. They found that levels of antioxidants in milk from organic herds were up to 90 percent higher than those from conventional herds. Organic tomatoes from Greece were also found to have significantly higher levels of antioxidants. Professor Carlo Leifert, coordinator of the four-year project, said the differences were so marked that organic produce could help to increase the nutrient intake of those people not eating the recommended five portions a day of fruit and vegetables.

Aging Backwards Organic Tips:

1) Grow your own. Even if you don't have a green thumb, most people can successfully grow herbs, which can enhance the flavor of almost any recipe. Do not use pesticides or chemicals on the plants.

2) Shop at local stands. Any time you pass by a local farm stand, be sure to stop and stock up on produce. Caution: they sometimes sell conventionally-grown produce as well, so if you're not sure of the origin, ask someone.

3) Look for produce in season. For example, watermelon season is May through October (peak is May through August).

4) Check the sticky label. You can tell a lot about a fruit by its Product Look Up code (PLU). Conventional produce is labeled with a four-digit number such as #4113. Organic produce is a five-digit number prefixed with nine: #94113. Genetically modified produce has a five-digit number beginning with eight: #84113.

5) Visit the Organic Consumers Association Web site. You'll find valuable information and resources for all things organic.