British journalist ate only organic food for a month and saw health benefits

To mark Organic September, journalist and mother-of-two Dianne Bourne joined a United Kingdom trial run by the Soil Association to test the health impacts of eating only organic food for a month. Before starting, participants avoided organic food for two weeks and underwent gut health tests.

Bourne received a £100 ($135.58) weekly budget to shop from Abel & Cole and Riverford Organic, plus starter essentials from organic brands like Clearspring and Mr. Organic. She found it possible, though challenging, to stick to the budget, especially with higher meat prices—organic chicken cost £18 ($24.40) compared to £5 ($6.78) in supermarkets. Still, she appreciated the certification standards behind the price and found organic fruit and veg boxes good value. Her meals centered on whole foods—stews, roasts, sandwiches, pasta dishes—while she cut out ultra-processed snacks and ready meals.

The biggest drawback was eating out: few restaurants or cafés promoted organic options, leaving her restricted at events and longing for a proper organic coffee. This meant more home cooking and fewer social outings.

Health-wise, Bourne quickly noticed benefits. Chronic headaches disappeared within days, sleep improved, and her resting heart rate dropped from 73 to 68 beats per minute. By month’s end she felt calmer and had lost 5 lbs., despite enjoying organic treats like chocolate and prosecco. The higher cost of premium snacks also discouraged overeating.

Gut tests showed modest improvements: her Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio dropped and levels of beneficial Akkermansia muciniphila bacteria rose, both linked to metabolic health. Across all participants, there was a “clinically significant improvement” in intestinal permeability, sometimes called leaky gut. However, inflammation markers and gut diversity showed no change. Experts suggested adding fermented foods to enhance diversity.

While research on dietary pesticides and gut health remains limited, clinicians noted that reduced pesticide exposure may have contributed to improvements.

Overall, Bourne concluded that going fully organic was worthwhile. Beyond measurable changes, she felt healthier, calmer, and discovered a wide range of organic alternatives. The trial convinced her that organic food can deliver meaningful benefits—and she plans to keep many of the swaps in her daily life.

Source: Nottingham Post (UK)

To view source article, visit: https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/uk-world-news/i-only-ate-organic-food-10473575

Organic & Non-GMO Insights October 2025