Clear differences between organic and non-organic food

Level 2 l Intermediate

1 Key words
Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. The paragraph numbers are given to
help you.

pesticide toxic comprehensive residue nutrition

benefit
antioxidant myth conventional neurodegenerative

1. An _______________________ is a substance in your body that prevents cells and tissue from being
damaged by harmful substances. Vitamins are a good example of these. (para 1)

2. A _______________________ substance is poisonous and harmful to people, animals or the environment.

(para 1)

3. If something such as a study is _______________________, it has a very wide range and includes many
aspects of something. (para 1)

4. A _______________________ is an advantage you get from a situation. (para 1)

5. If something is _______________________, it is of the usual, traditional or accepted type, instead of being

new and different. (para 2)

6. _______________________ is food considered as something that keeps you healthy. (para 3)

7. A _______________________ is something that people wrongly believe to be true. (para 5)

8. A _______________________ disease causes someone’s nerves to be damaged; for example, Alzheimer’s

disease. (para 6)

9. A _______________________ is a chemical used for killing insects, especially those that damage crops.
(para 9)

10. A _______________________ is a part of something that remains after the rest has gone or ended. (para 6)

2 Find the information

Find the following information in the text as quickly as possible.

1. What does the Soil Association campaign for?

2. How many studies did the 2012 analysis include?
3. What percentage of shoppers say healthy eating is a key reason for buying organic produce?
4. How many studies from around the world were included in the most recent analysis?
5. How many portions of fruit and vegetables should people eat each day?
6. According to the research, how much higher is the range of antioxidants in organic food?
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NEWS LESSONS / Clear differences between organic and non-organic food / Intermediate
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Clear differences between organic and non-organic food
Level 2 l Intermediate
Clear differences between organic and
non-organic food, study finds
Damian Carrington and George Arnett
11 July, 2014
1 Organic food has more of the antioxidants linked
to better health than regular food, and lower levels
of toxic metals and pesticides, according to the
most comprehensive scientific analysis so far. The
international team behind the work suggests that
switching to organic fruit and vegetables could give
the same benefits as adding one or two portions of
the recommended ‘five a day’ fruit and vegetables.
2 The team, led by Professor Carlo Leifert, concludes
that there are “statistically significant” differences,
with a range of antioxidants being “substantially
higher” – between 19% and 69% – in organic food.
It is the first study to demonstrate clear differences
between organic and conventional fruits, vegetables
and cereals.
3 The researchers say the increased levels of
antioxidants are equivalent to “one to two of the
five portions of fruits and vegetables recommended
to be consumed daily and would therefore be
significant in terms of human nutrition”.
4 The findings will add to the controversy over
organic food and whether it is better for people.
Tom Sanders, a professor of nutrition at King’s
College London, said the research did show
some differences. “But the question is are they
within natural variation? And are they nutritionally
relevant? I am not convinced.” He added, “Leifert
has had a lot of disagreements with a lot of people.”
He also said that research showed organic cereals
have less protein than conventional crops.
5 The results of the research are based on an
analysis of 343 studies from around the world –
more than ever before – which examine differences
between organic and conventional fruit, vegetables
and cereals. “The important thing about this
research is that it shatters the myth that how we
farm does not affect the quality of the food we eat,”
said Helen Browning, chief executive of the Soil
Association, which campaigns for organic farming.
6 Leifert and his colleagues conclude that many
antioxidants “have previously been linked to
a reduced risk of chronic diseases, including
cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative
diseases and certain cancers”. The researchers
© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2014
NEWS LESSONS / Clear differences between organic and non-organic food / Intermediate
also found much higher levels of cadmium, a toxic
metal, in conventional crops. Pesticide residues
were found on conventional crops four times more
often than on organic food.
7 The research is certain to be criticized: the inclusion
of so many studies in the analysis could mean
poor-quality work makes the results unreliable.
Also, the higher levels of cadmium and pesticides
in conventional produce were still far below
recommended limits. But, the researchers say
cadmium accumulates over time in the body and
that some people may wish to avoid this, and
that pesticide limits are set individually, not for the
cocktail of chemicals used on crops.
8 A further criticism of the research is that the
differences seen may result from different climates,
soil types and crop varieties, and not from organic
farming. The greatest criticism, however, will be
over the suggestions of possible health benefits.
The most recent major analysis, which included
223 studies in 2012, found little evidence. “The
published literature lacks strong evidence that
organic foods are significantly more nutritious than
conventional foods,” it found.
9 This was also the conclusion of earlier, smaller
studies published in 2009 in a scientific journal and
by the UK Food Standards Agency. The 2012 study
did note that eating organic food might help people
avoid pesticide residues. Sanders said he was not
persuaded by the new work. “You are not going to
be healthier if you eat organic food,” he said. “What
is most important is what you eat, not whether it’s
organic or conventional. It’s whether you eat fruit
and vegetables at all.”
10 Opinion polls show healthy eating (55%) and
avoiding chemical residues (53%) are key reasons
given by shoppers for buying organic produce. But,
many also say care for the environment (44%) and
animal welfare (31%) are important, and also taste
(35%). Browning said: “This research confirms what
people think about organic food. In other countries,
there have, for a long time, been much higher levels
of support and acceptance of the benefits of organic
food and farming. We hope these findings will bring
the UK into line with the rest of Europe.”
© Guardian News and Media 2014
First published in The Guardian, 11/07/14
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Clear differences between organic and non-organic food
Level 2 l Intermediate
3 Comprehension check
Are these statements true (T) or false (F) according to the text?

1. There are more antioxidants in organic food than in conventional foods.

2. Organic cereals have more proteins than conventional crops.
3. The latest research found four times more pesticide residues in organic food than in conventional foods.
4. Higher levels of cadmium in conventional produce are above recommended limits.
5. Critics suggest that the differences found in the latest research may be the result of different climates, soil types and
crop varieties.
6. It is recommended that people eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

4 Find the word

Find the following words and phrases in the text.

1. a verb meaning change from one thing to another (para 1)

2. a two-word adjectival phrase meaning of the same size, value or importance as something else (para 3)
3. an adjective meaning certain that something is true (para 4)
4. a verb meaning destroy or seriously damage something (para 5)
5. an adjective meaning serious and lasting for a long time (para 6)
6. an adjective meaning connected with the heart and the blood vessels (para 6)
7. a two-word noun phrase meaning good care and living conditions for animals (para 10)
8. a three-word expression meaning make something similar to another thing (para 10)

5 Two-word phrases
Match the words in the left-hand column with those in the right-hand column to make phrases from the text.

1. organic a. welfare
2. chronic b. limits
3. scientific c. diseases
4. chemical d. food
5. animal e. residue
6. recommended f. analysis
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NEWS LESSONS / Clear differences between organic and non-organic food / Intermediate
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Clear differences between organic and non-organic food
Level 2 l Intermediate

6 Word-building
Complete the table with words from the text.
verb noun
1. vary ____________
2. include ____________
3. accept ____________
4. suggest ____________
5. conclude ____________
6. disagree ____________

7 Discussion
Do you buy organic food? Why or why not?

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NEWS LESSONS / Clear differences between organic and non-organic food / Intermediate
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 Clear differences between organic and non-organic food
Level 2 l Intermediate
KEY
1 Key words 4 Find the word

1. antioxidant 1. switch
2. toxic 2. equivalent to
3. comprehensive 3. convinced
4. benefit 4. shatter
5. conventional 5. chronic
6. nutrition 6. cardiovascular
7. myth 7. animal welfare
8. neurodegenerative 8. bring into line
9. pesticide
10. residue
5 Two-word phrases
2 Find the information 1. d
2. c
1. organic farming 3. f
2. 223 4. e
3. 55% 5. a
4. 343 6. b
5. five
6. 19% to 69%
6 Word-building
3 Comprehension check 1. variation
2. inclusion
1. T
3. acceptance
2. F
4. suggestion
3. F
5. conclusion
4. F
6. disagreement
5. T
6. T
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NEWS LESSONS / Clear differences between organic and non-organic food / Intermediate
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