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 scientific literature, they are also richer in Omega-3. However, experts warn that from this perspective, the differences compared to conventional products might be too small to have a significant impact on human health.

Compared to conventional products, organic foods—both plant-based and animal-based—are richer in healthy substances. In particular, organic meat and milk contain higher amounts of Omega-3 fats, recognized for their protective properties for the heart, brain, and vision. 

This was revealed by two literature analyses conducted by experts from Newcastle University (United Kingdom), published in 2016 in the British Journal of Nutrition. However, the differences in fatty acid content, mainly due to animal feeding, are considered too small to have a real impact on the diet and health of consumers.

Organic foods: increasing consumption

Demand for organic products is growing. As reported by FederBio (the federation that protects and promotes the development of organic and biodynamic agriculture supply chains), according to a market survey presented by Nomisma at BIOFACH 2024 (the main trade fair dedicated to organic food), Italians increasingly want to be sustainable even when choosing what to eat. 

This trend has driven sales of organic products, which after a slight decline the previous year reached nearly 5.4 billion euros, growing by 5%. Compared to 2022, sales have resumed growth across all channels—from specialty stores to parapharmacies, including markets, solidarity purchase groups, pharmacies, herbal shops, and modern distribution (companies committed to protecting consumers’ purchasing power), which is effectively the main channel for organic purchases by Italian consumers.

FederBio specifies that 27% of Italians consider organic products safer for health. For some, these are products more respectful of the environment (23%) or animal welfare (10%); for another 10%, preference for organic is due to greater social sustainability and the possibility of supporting small producers—all aspects already highlighted 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," explained Leifert, adding however that "much less is known about the impact [of organic farming and livestock] on nutritional quality."

Organic milk and meat: more Omega-3 and less saturated fats

In Italy and other Western European countries, meat is an important contributor of proteins, fats, minerals (such as iron, zinc, selenium, and copper), and vitamins (especially B-group vitamins).

Even before 2016, several studies compared nutrient concentrations in meats from organic and conventional production systems. Most focused on fats, since it was already known that saturated fats—the main type found in meat—when consumed excessively can have negative health effects, such as increased cardiovascular disease risk. Conversely, polyunsaturated fats can have positive effects on the cardiovascular system. Among these stand out the Omega-3s from fish: EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid).

Despite this abundance of studies, scientific uncertainty remained high regarding whether and to what extent organic production standards translate into relevant nutritional and qualitative changes in foods. To clarify this point, Leifert and collaborators conducted meta-analyses, i.e., statistical studies based on reprocessing data from scientific research on the same topic.

Focusing on 263 studies (196 on milk and 67 on meat) comparing organic products with conventional ones, Leifert and collaborators demonstrated 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%) emerged, thus a better fatty acid profile compared to conventional milk.

Organic milk was also found to be lower in iodine: while half a liter of conventional milk contained about 88% of the recommended iodine amount in the UK (140 micrograms), the same quantity of organic milk contained only 53%. Fortunately, in Italy, where iodized salt use is actively promoted, this situation does not raise particular concerns.

For meat, saturated and monounsaturated fat amounts were similar or slightly lower than those found in conventionally farmed meat. More significant differences were observed in total polyunsaturated fats and Omega-3 levels, which were 23% and 47% higher respectively in organic meat.

Other favorable changes observed were:

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

What health benefits?

As Leifert explained, animals raised outdoors and fed grass produce milk and meat richer in desirable fats, like Omega-3, and poorer in fats that may promote heart disease and other chronic conditions.

Together with previous studies showing that organic agricultural products are richer in antioxidants and lower in cadmium, a toxic metal, these results, concluded Leifert, "suggest that switching to consuming organic fruits, vegetables, meat, and dairy could provide significantly higher amounts of dietary antioxidants and Omega-3." Commenting separately on these data, Ian Givens, an expert from the University of Reading (UK), stressed the need for correct interpretation. 

In particular, Givens noted that the 56% increase in Omega-3 content in organic milk relates to the milk fat fraction, not to total grams of milk. Considering an average daily consumption of about 2.2 grams of Omega-3, switching from conventional to organic milk would increase Omega-3 intake by about 33 milligrams daily, representing a 1.5% increase in the daily diet. "It is difficult for such modest changes to provide any meaningful nutritional or health benefit," the expert pointed out.

Givens also added that the difference is not due to organic farming methods per se but to what the animals eat. In this regard, the European standards cited by Leifert and collaborators in their publication on meat stipulated that 60% of the dry matter in ruminant diets should come from pasture grass or fresh or conserved forage, preferably pasture. "Consequently," the authors specified, "the duration of pasture feeding and the ratio between fresh and conserved forage in organic farms vary significantly among European regions." In particular, the amount of clover eaten by animals seems to make a difference in the final Omega-3 content.

"These works are very detailed and of high value," concluded Givens, "but differences between organic and conventional products should be evaluated within the context of the entire human diet."

Further studies will allow a meta-analysis examining a broader range of parameters, such as vitamin and mineral concentrations, and estimating the fatty acid profiles in all livestock species, also assessing the impact on human health of nutritional composition differences found.

Meanwhile, the best way to provide the body with the Omega-3 it needs is to follow a varied and balanced daily diet that includes foods naturally rich in them: nuts, seeds, and especially fish. In cases of specific needs (such as fish allergies, selective diets, vegan diets, or increased requirements), dietary supplements can help meet the body's demands and prevent deficiencies harmful to health.

References:

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

Newcastle University. "New study finds clear differences between organic and non-organic milk and meat." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 15 February 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 accessed: 03/04/25

Średnicka-Tober D, Barański M, Seal C, Sanderson R, Benbrook C, Steinshamn H, Gromadzka-Ostrowska J, Rembiałkowska E, Skwarło-Sońta K, Eyre M, Cozzi G, Krogh Larsen M, Jordon T, Niggli U, Sakowski T, Calder PC, Burdge GC, Sotiraki S, Stefanakis A, Yolcu H, Stergiadis S, Chatzidimitriou E, Butler G, Stewart G, Leifert C. Composition differences between organic and conventional meat: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. Br J Nutr. 2016 Mar 28;115(6):994-1011. doi: 10.1017/S0007114515005073

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