Organic food. We all know the phrase, but what does it mean? Zinzan Cunningham looks behind the jargon.

There are a number of organic-certifying organisations in Australia. Simply put, here are generally accepted baseline parameters of foods labelled ‘organic’:

• foods that are produced using methods of farming that do not involve synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilisers.

• foods not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.

Evidence on the health properties between organic food and ‘conventional’ food is currently pretty sketchy and contradictory. So it’s difficult to say, “organic food is better for you.”

In fact, a 2012 Stanford University study suggests: “There isn’t much difference between organic and conventional foods, if you’re an adult and making a decision based solely on your health.” That’s according to Dena Bravata, MD, MS, the senior author of the paper comparing the nutrition of organic and non-organic foods, published in a 2012 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine.

A team led by Bravata, a senior affiliate with Stanford’s Center for Health Policy, and Crystal Smith-Spangler, MD, MS, an instructor in the school’s Division of General Medical Disciplines and a physician-investigator at VA Palo Alto Health Care System, did the most comprehensive meta-analysis to date of existing studies comparing organic and conventional foods. They did not find strong evidence that organic foods are more nutritious or carry fewer health risks than conventional alternatives, though consumption of organic foods can reduce the risk of pesticide exposure.

But commonsense suggests it would be a brave fool to run around suggesting otherwise. Especially given the ‘pesticide exposure’ element.

But it’s more than commonsense. Andre Leu argued on behalf of the Organic Federation of Australia that there is good information that shows that organic food is substantially healthier than conventional food.

“Research published in 2001 showed that the current fruit and vegetables in the USA have about half the vitamin content of their counterparts in 1963,” he wrote. “This study was based on comparing published US Department of Agriculture (USDA) figures.

“A scientific study published in the Journal of Applied Nutrition in 1993 clearly showed that organic food is more nutritious than conventional food.

“A peer reviewed scientific article published in the February 2003 edition of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry stated that organically grown corn, strawberries and marionberries have significantly higher levels of cancer fighting antioxidants than conventionally grown foods. Some of these compounds, such as Flavonoids, are phenolic compounds that have potent antioxidant activities. Many are produced in plants in response to environmental stresses, such as insects or competing plants. They are protective compounds that act as a plant’s natural defense and also have protective properties in human and animal health.

“The research suggested that pesticides and herbicides disrupt the production of these protective compounds. Good soil nutrition appears to increase the levels of these natural compounds that have anti cancer, immune boosting and anti aging properties.”

Taste is another bonus for organic foods. Without the sped-up growth promoted by chemical fertilisers, organic foods can represent intense flavours and natural colours.

This is especially true with wines – winemakers rely on low yields and concentrated, true flavours for excellence. This partly exclaims the massive growth in organic wineries.

A daily glass of grapefruit juice for cancer patients can more than triple the effect of taking an anti-cancer drug on its own, a clinical trial has found.

Researchers at the University of Chicago Medicine have harnessed the power of grapefruit to boost the efficacy of an anti-cancer drug. While grapefruit is infamous for interacting badly with a number of medications (see breakout), the researchers found for cancer patients, combining the fruit with a drug known as sirolimus offers the same benefits as taking more than three times of the drug alone.

This means the simple act of sipping on a glass of grapefruit juice could avoid the need for cancer patients to take higher doses of medication, reducing the side effects and associated costs.

The study, recently published in Clinical Cancer Research, shows that eight ounces (one cup) a day of grapefruit juice can slow the body’s metabolism of sirolimus, meaning more of the drug can enter the bloodstream. Patients who drank one cup a day of grapefruit juice increased their sirolimus levels by 350 per cent. By comparison, a drug called ketoconazole that also slows drug metabolism increased sirolimus levels by 500 per cent.

“Grapefruit juice, and drugs with a similar mechanism, can significantly increase blood levels of many drugs,” says study director Ezra Cohen MD, a cancer specialist at the University of Chicago Medicine, “but this has long been considered an overdose hazard. Instead, we wanted to see if grapefruit juice can be used in a controlled fashion to increase the availability and efficacy of sirolimus.”

The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health in the US, with the authors noting that dose-finding studies are “not necessarily profitable” for drug makers, especially if the study results in lower recommended doses after the drug has been approved and priced.

What is it aboutgrapefruit?

Not only delicious and brimming with vitamin C, grapefruit also has some powerful effects – so powerful in fact, that there are a number of medications that should come with a “don’t take this with grapefruit” warning! For example, grapefruit juice can interfere negatively with common prescription drugs such as cholesterol medicines and beta blockers. The pharmaceutical prowess of grapefruit stems from its ability to inhibit enzymes in the intestine that are needed to metabolise a variety of drugs. In some cases, this can have an adverse effect – causing an overdose of the drug in the body. Because different people produce different amounts of these enzymes, the effect of grapefruit can vary, however, if you’re a grapefruit fan, it’s wise to check with your doctor whether any medication you’re being given could interact with it.

Nothing says holiday like coconuts – and the good news is they’re super-healthy for you, too! In addition to their tropical allure, here are four reasons WHY we’re nuts about coconuts…

1. Nothing beats the pop of cracking open a coconut, sticking a straw inside and sipping up the sweet goodness. Not only does it taste good, it’s packed with potassium, which is important for heart health and regulating blood pressure. Opt for a fresh coconut over pre-packaged products – it’s better for you and makes those Caribbean daydreams much easier…

2. How often is something yummy also good for your teeth? Researchers have found that coconut oil attacks the bacteria behind tooth decay and could be used in dental care products – we’re waiting impatiently for the first toothpaste with coconut oil!

3. After a long summer in the sun and surf, your skin may be screaming for some love. Swap your normal moisturiser with coconut oil and see the results for yourself.

4. Scratched your toe? In Indonesian folk medicine, coconut oil has been used for centuries to help heal wounds. Recent studies also confirm this – yet another reason to keep coconut oil in your bathroom cabinet.

Do you like to have a banana before you exercise or as an energy boost midway? A new study has confirmed the natural goodies are as beneficial as sports drinks for performance – with some hidden extras.

Researchers at the Appalachian State University’s Human Performance Lab in the US set out to see if bananas or carbohydrate sports drinks were most beneficial when consumed during intense cycling. They found that not only was performance the same whether bananas or sports drinks were consumed, there were several advantagesto choosing bananas over sports drinks.

The bananas provided the cyclists with antioxidants not found in sports drinks and gave a greater nutritional boost, includingfibre, potassium and vitamin B6. In addition, bananas have a healthier blend of sugars than sports drinks. Cheaper, healthier and a greater nutritional boost… We know what we’re bringing to the gym later on!