Photo Credit: Georgi Kirichkov

While several smaller studies have found nutritional benefits of eating organic meat, until now no systematic reviews have compiled all the latest information about the nutrient content of organic versus conventionally produced meat. This morning, a paper published in the British Journal of Nutrition did just that, and found that, based on 67 published studies, organic meat contained 47% higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids than conventional meat. This is important because diets low in omega-3s, especially in combination with high omega-6 diets, are risk factors for cardiovascular disease, cancer, and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Diets with high omega-3 intakes, on the other hand, suppress these conditions. The study concluded that the main reason for the beneficial increase in omega-3 fatty acids is likely the high grazing and forage requirements for organic livestock.