Pesticides

You are what you eat.  Or so the saying goes.  And since what we eat is literally incorporated into our bodies so they can run properly, the age-old saying is pretty accurate in its simplicity.   We want to make sure we get the vitamins and nutrients we need for optimum health, so we try to eat a varied diet.   We know that we should eat up to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables each day because they contain anti-oxidants, they are rich in vitamins, and contain fiber.  The problem is that, often, our healthiest foods have been tainted by, among other things, pesticides.

Pesticides used on food include:

insecticides to control insects, rodenticides to control rodents, herbicides to control weeds, fungicides to control mold and fungus, and antimicrobials to control bacteria. 

 

Several dozen pesticides have been banned in America, or their use restricted by the EPA.  But these pesticides are still being exported to assist developing countries, where it is estimated that three million acute cases of pesticide poisoning occur per year.  And now, because many of these same countries export produce back to the United States, the possibility of American contamination from once-banned chemicals is, once again, high.  (From Answers.com)

According to information obtained from Sixwise.com, "by eating some of the most-contaminated fruits and vegetables, you and your children can be exposed to about 15 different pesticides a day, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a not-for-profit environmental research organization. No one knows for sure what impacts these chemicals that are, by their very nature, designed to kill, will have on your health.
Fortunately, by avoiding the most-contaminated produce out there, and concentrating on the least contaminated instead, you can reduce your exposure to pesticides by almost 90 percent, EWG says".

The 20 Fruits and Vegetables With the MOST Pesticides that you should try to buy organic, if possible, are:

1. Peaches
2. Apples
3. Sweet Bell Peppers
4. Celery
5. Nectarines
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Pears
9. Grapes (Imported)
10. Spinach
11. Lettuce
12. Potatoes
13. Carrots
14. Green Beans
15. Hot Peppers
16. Cucumbers
17. Raspberries
18. Plums
19. Grapes (Domestic)
20. Oranges

(Note:  If you can not buy the organic varieties of the above items, peel them when you can, remove the outer leaves of greens, and wash them well, preferably in a mixture of water with lemon juice or vinegar, or use a reputable vegetable spray or "wash".)

The 20 Fruits and Vegetables With the LEAST Amount of Pesticides are:

1. Onion
2. Avocado
3. Sweet corn (Frozen)
4. Pineapples
5. Mango
6. Asparagus
7. Sweet peas (Frozen)
8. Kiwi
9. Bananas
10. Cabbage
11. Broccoli
12. Papaya
13. Blueberries
14. Cauliflower
15. Winter Squash
16. Watermelon
17. Sweet potatoes
18. Tomatoes
19. Honeydew melon
20. Cantaloupe

(Above lists of produce are from Sixwise.com website)

"In a joint study conducted by scientists from the CDC (Center for Disease Control), the University of Washington and Emory University, researchers found that pesticide levels in test subjects dropped to undetectable levels upon switching to an organic diet. When the subjects switched back to a non-organic diet, pesticide residues almost immediately became detectable". (From Sustainable Table website)

In the near future, at a minimum, I hope to see the same standards applied to fruits and vegetables that we import from other countries that we have established here.   Ideally, it would be nice if all pesticide use could be banned here (in America) as well.  I have included this post because, personally, I have become extremely sensitive to pesticides on my produce.   Especially when it comes to non-organic strawberries and grapes, I have suffered a range of symptoms from stomach distress, to headaches, to a bad case of  the jitters.  Whether or not you, too, have experienced any of these symptoms, my hope is that this information will help you to be able to enjoy your "up to 9" servings of fruits and vegetables a day as healthfully as possible.  Until next time, happy and healthy eating!