The Mediterranean diet has long been considered a model of health. But if its ingredients are organic, the benefits increase significantly. This is what emerges from the second phase of the clinical study conducted by the University of Rome Tor Vergata, published in the scientific journal Microorganisms and presented in Rome as part of the campaign “Il Bio dentro di noi,” promoted by FederBio, AssoBio and Consorzio Il Biologico.
Research shows that it only takes four weeks on the organic Mediterranean diet to tangibly change the composition of the gut microbiota, the so-called “second brain,” increasing the presence of bacteria that are beneficial to the body. The effects translate into anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immune-modulating improvements.
The weight of quality
The study shows that for the same number of calories and nutrients, it is not only the quantity but especially the quality of foods that makes the difference. Both conventional and organic versions of the Mediterranean diet stimulate the production of short-chain fatty acids, which are critical for metabolic health and the gut barrier. But with organic, the increases are sharper.
Case in point: Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, one of the most valuable bacteria for gut health, grows about four times more on the organic diet than on the conventional diet. Anaerostipes hadrus, which contributes to the production of beneficial fatty acids, also doubles its presence, while Parabacteroides distasonis—which improves fat digestion and absorption—increases by 125 per cent in the organic group and declines in contrast in the conventional group. This effect is even more pronounced in women, who show a greater benefit in terms of rebalancing the microbiota.
The voice of experts
“These are important results that confirm the value of choosing organic in everyday nutrition,” stresses Maria Grazia Mammuccini, president of FederBio. “While science has long shown the role of organic farming for biodiversity, soil fertility and combating the climate crisis, today research from Tor Vergata University, supported by the Ministry of Health, shows that organic is also good for people’s health. With the ‘The Organic Within Us’ campaign, we want to strengthen the alliance between the scientific world and organic associations, disseminate the results of the research, and encourage correct information to citizens. And call for more investment in prevention, starting with the spread of the organic Mediterranean diet in school canteens.”
“The results of research conducted by the University of Rome Tor Vergata confirm that this type of diet significantly improves the health of the gut microbiota, with benefits particularly evident in the female population. We are very pleased with these results and proud to promote their dissemination, in the knowledge that the path to better health starts right from the moment of purchase: choosing organic, seasonal foods and in line with the Mediterranean diet,” comments Nicoletta Maffini, president of AssoBio.
“Concrete measures are needed that can help the sector become increasingly competitive, to expand its market share, which in Italy is still very small compared to the share of organic consumption in many Central and Northern European countries,” adds Alessia Ferrucci Morandi, director of Consorzio il Biologico. “This is about activating important channels that serve to broaden the spread of organic foods and information about their benefits. I’m thinking of school training and organic canteens.”
This is not the first time Tor Vergata has explored these links. The same group had shown that two weeks of the organic Mediterranean diet increased plasma antioxidant capacity by 21 per cent over the conventional version, with peaks of up to +312 per cent of polyphenols and antioxidants in organic foods. Now, the new research step—the first comparative clinical trial between organic and conventional Mediterranean diets—adds important pieces: the higher concentration of bioactive phytochemical compounds in organic foods appears to be one of the keys to modulating the microbiota and reducing the body’s inflammatory state.
Organic is better: even the metabolites say so
A further study by the same team, published in Metabolites, confirmed the picture by analysing urinary metabolites: both groups reported improvements, but the organic diet amplified the benefits. Indeed, it increased substances useful for energy metabolism, such as tricarboxylic cycle intermediates, and natural plant compounds such as trigonelline, known for their protective properties. At the same time, less healthy molecules linked to unbalanced fermentations or exposure to chemicals were reduced.
Researchers point out that the strength of the organic Mediterranean diet lies in the combination: balanced food traditions and ingredients free of chemical residues. A combination that boosts immunity, regulates metabolism and reduces inflammatory processes.
“We need to get people to understand what the real value of a product is: a value related to health, to prevention,” concludes Fabio Brescacin, president of NaturaSì. “The more we consume healthy food, the less we will need treatment or corrective interventions when health fails. But there is another fundamental aspect: the farmer does not only produce food. He tends the land, regenerates soil fertility, helps absorb CO₂, purify water, and protect biodiversity. It generates common goods that must be recognised and, I hope, increasingly remunerated as well. Something at the European and global level is already moving in this direction. That’s why I believe that in the future the farmer must have two sources of income: one linked to the sale of his products, at a fair price, and one linked to the environmental value he helps to create.”
The final message, reiterated by scientists and institutions, is clear: prevention begins in the shopping cart. And if the Mediterranean diet has always been a health asset, its organic version may represent a new frontier for preventive medicine and daily wellness.
