Organic products: organic meat and milk contain 50% more Omega 3!

Organic meat and milk are good not only for the environment, but also for some of their nutritional properties. According to the scientific literature, they would also be richer in Omega 3. But experts warn: in this respect, the differences from conventional products may be too small to have a significant impact on human health.

Compared with conventional products, organic foods, both plant and animal, are richer in healthful substances. In particular, organic meat and milk contain higher amounts of omega-3 fats, which are recognized for their protective properties against the heart, brain and eyesight. 

This was revealed by two reviews of the scientific literature conducted by experts at Newcastle University (UK), published in the British Journal of Nutrition in 2016. However, the differences in fatty acid content, mainly due to animal nutrition, would be too small to have a real impact on the diet and health of those who consume these foods.

Organic food: consumption on the rise

Demand for organic products is on the rise. As reported by FederBio (a federation that protects and promotes the development of the organic and biodynamic agriculture supply chain) according to the market survey presented by Nomisma at BIOFACH 2024 (the leading trade fair dedicated to organic food) Italians want to be increasingly sustainable even when they have to choose what to eat. 

This trend has driven sales of organic products, which after a slight decrease in the previous year reached nearly 5.4 billion euros, up 5 percent. Compared to 2022, sales resumed growth in all channels-from specialty stores to parapharmacies, passing through markets, fair trade buying groups, pharmacies, herbalist shops and modern distribution (the set of companies committed to protecting the purchasing power of consumers), which, in fact, is the channel of reference for organic purchases by Italian consumers.

Twenty-seven percent of Italians, FederBio points out, consider organic products safer for their health. For some, they are more environmentally friendly (23 percent) or animal welfare friendly (10 percent); for another 10 percent, the preference for organic depends on its greater social sustainability and the possibility of being able to support small-scale producers-all aspects highlighted back in 2016 by Carlo Leifert, coordinator of the two analyses published in the British Journal of Nutrition. 

"People choose organic milk and meat mainly for three reasons: better animal welfare, the positive effects of organic farming on the environment, and the perceived health benefits," Leifert explained, adding, however, that "much less is known about the impact [of organic farming and ranching] on nutritional quality."

Organic milk and meat: more Omega 3 and less saturated fat

In Italy and other Western European countries, meat makes an important contribution to the intake of proteins, fats, minerals (e.g., iron, zinc, selenium, and copper), and vitamins (in particular, those of the B group).

Even before 2016, several researches had already compared nutrient concentrations in meat from organic and conventional production systems. In most cases, the magnifying glass had focused on fats, as it was already known that saturated fats-the main type found in meat-if consumed in excess can have negative effects on human health, such as increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. In contrast, polyunsaturated fats can have positive effects on the cardiovascular system. Prominent among them are the Omega 3s from fish: EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid).

Despite this proliferation of studies, scientific uncertainty about whether, and to what extent, organic production standards result in nutritionally and qualitatively relevant changes in food was still considerable. In order to provide clarity on this point, Leifert and collaborators conducted meta-analyses, which are statistical studies based on the reworking of data from scientific research conducted on the same topic.

Focusing on 263 studies (196 on milk and 67 on meat) that had compared organic products with conventional products, Leifert and coworkers demonstrated the existence of differences in the nutritional composition of the two types of foods. 

In the case of organic milk, a higher concentration of total polyunsaturated fatty acids (+ 7%) and Omega 3 (56%) and, therefore, a better fatty acid composition than conventional milk emerged.

Organic milk was also found to be lower in iodine: while half a liter of conventional milk contained about 88 percent of the amount of iodine recommended in the United Kingdom (140 micrograms), the same amount of organic milk contained only 53 percent. Forunately in Italy, where the use of iodized salt is actively promoted, such a situation raises no particular concern.

In the case of meat, a similar or slightly lower amount of saturated and monounsaturated fat was found than in conventionally raised meat. More important differences were observed in the levels of total polyunsaturated fat and Omega-3, which were 23% and 47% higher in organic meat, respectively.

Other favorable changes noted were:

• Lower levels of myristic acid and palmitic acid in organic meat;
• A lower ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 in organic milk;
• Higher levels of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), vitamin E and iron in organic milk.

What health benefits?

As Leifert explained, free-range, grass-fed animals produce milk and meat that are richer in desirable fats, such as Omega 3, and poorer in fats that can promote the development of heart disease and other chronic conditions.

Together with earlier studies that organic farming products are richer in antioxidants and poorer in cadmium, a toxic metal, these results, Leifert concluded, "suggest that switching to the consumption of organic fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy products could provide significantly higher amounts of food-derived antioxidants and Omega 3." Commenting on these data separately, however, Ian Givens, an expert at the University of Reading (UK), stressed the need to interpret them correctly. 

In particular, Givens pointed out that the 56 percent increase in Omega-3 content in organic milk relates to the fat fraction of milk, not to total grams of milk. Considering that on average people consume about 2.2 grams of Omega-3 per day, switching from conventional to organic milk would increase Omega 3 consumption by about 33 milligrams per day, a 1.5 percent increase in daily diet. "Such modest changes are unlikely to provide any nutritional or health benefit," the expert pointed out.

Givens also added that what makes the difference is not the organic farming methods themselves, but what the animals eat. In this regard, the European standards cited by Leifert and coworkers in their meat publication required that 60 percent of the dry weight of ruminant feed corresponded to pasture grass or fresh or preserved forage, with a preference, when possible, for pasture. "Consequently," the authors clarified, "the duration of grazing and the ratio of fresh to stored fodder on organic farms varies significantly among different European regions." In particular, it would seem to be the amount of clover eaten by the animals that would make a difference on the final Omega 3 content.

"This work is very detailed and valuable," Givens concluded, "but the differences between organic and conventional products should be evaluated in the context of the whole human diet."

Further studies will allow for a meta-analysis to examine a broader range of parameters, such as concentrations of vitamins and minerals, and to estimate the type of fatty acids in all farmed species, while also assessing the impact on human health of the differences found in nutritional composition.

In the meantime, the best way to provide the body with the Omega 3s it needs is to follow a varied and balanced daily diet that includes the foods that are richest in them by nature: nuts, seeds and, above all, fish. In cases of specific needs (such as the need to avoid fish due to allergies, cases of food selectivity, vegan diets, or increased requirements) dietary supplements can help meet the body's demands and avoid health-threatening deficiencies.

Bibliographic references:

FederBio. The organic market in Italy: data, trends and consumption preferences. February 15, 2024. https://feder.bio/mercato-del-bio-italia-dati-trend-preferenze-consumo/. Last viewed: 03/04/25.

Newcastle University. "New study finds clear differences between organic and non-organic milk and meat." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, February 15, 2016. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/02/160215210707.htm

Science Media Centre. Expert reaction to differences between organic and conventional milk and meat. February 16, 2016. https://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-differences-between-organic-and-conventional-milk-and-meat/. Last viewed: 03/04/25

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