Health Benefits of Organic Food

Public concern over impacts of chemicals in plant and animal production on health and the environment has led to increased demand for organic produce, which is usually promoted and often perceived as containing fewer contaminants, more nutrients, and being positive for the environment.

These benefits are difficult to quantify, and potential environmental impacts on such benefits have not been widely studied. This book addresses these key points, examining factors such as the role of certain nutrients in prevention and promotion of chronic disease, potential health benefits of bioactive compounds in plants, the prevalence of food-borne pesticides and pathogens and how both local and global environmental factors may affect any differences between organic and conventionally produced food.

With contributions from experts in a broad range of related disciplines, this book is an essential resource for researchers and students in human health and nutrition, environmental science, agriculture and organic farming.

Ian Givens is currently Professor of Animal Science, Director of the Animal Sciences Research Group (incorporating the Nutritional Sciences Research Unit, Biomathematics and the Centre for Dairy Research) and Joint Leader of Food Chain and Health Research in the Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Reading. He specializes in food chain nutrition, which includes the impact of animal-derived foods on human health. He is also an expert on the relationship between the nutrition of animals, the composition of the foods they produce and their impact on human nutrition and chronic disease.