Can you taste the life?

Well seriously, can you? An assumption we hear often is that food grown naturally tastes better.  Many of us can relate. How much better is that tiny wild blueberry or strawberry found on the side of the mountain compared to one we get in the grocery store? Some of us have also experienced how great that ripe tomato is when right from a back yard. How great are they when they are picked at peak freshness and eaten on the spot? We have even heard that living soil produces food with more nutrients. But others may say food is food. Tom-ay-to/Tom-ah-to. But what does the science say on this topic? Is living soil grown food better?

Research published in 2024 demonstrated a correlation between root microbiome were correlated with fruit quality in Satsuma’s and Navel Oranges.  Stronger microbial communities resulted in better soil mineral uptake and sweeter fruits! So, in this case you could definitely taste the life! 

Another study from 2026 conducted a meta-analysis across 33 independent studies that indicated that the presence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF, fungi that form symbiotic relationships within plant roots) not only increased growth, but also increased nutrient content in forage crops.  A meta-analysis is a study that applies statistical analysis to data presented in multiple studies and therefore increases the practical scope of inferences and reduces noise from conflicting results.   The researchers also found that heavy metal uptake was also reduced by the presence of the AMF.  Its not clear if these forage foods tasted better the the animals eating them, but they were definitely more nutritious and less dangerous!

Alternatively, other research looking at comparisons of conventional vs organic crops famously tout that there is no nutritional difference.  However, these studies do not generally look deeply at soil microbes which can vary significantly in both organic and conventional cropping systems.

There is also something to be said about overall differences in cultivars too.  Selecting for other traits like vigorous growth, disease resistance and high yield may ignore other traits like nutrient density and flavors. So sometimes that backyard living soil grown tomato does taste better, but it might be tough to say if it’s the heirloom varietal genetics at play or the life in the soil that you are experiencing.

Although the science is not clear cut, I think it’s safe to say that growing your food in a healthy living soil ecosystem gives you the best chance to have the most nutritious food possible. And yes, you might even be able to taste the life!