Have you ever heard of the dirty dozen?
Let's dive in and see what items on your grocery list should be organic...
What's with all the chemical sprays?
If you have ever tried gardening, then you know that it can be HARD!
You can have rodents eating your tomatoes, bugs and moths eating your greens, potato bugs inhabiting your potato plants, and about a hundred other pesky little things that can easily destroy your garden and all your hard work in just a few hours.
If you have ever been frustrated with your own home garden, you can only imagine the frustration farmers would experience, with their produce being their livelihood.
In the 1930s, the effects that certain synthetic chemicals had on deterring pests and insects from produce were identified and used widely around the world. Ninety years later, they are still widely used, though the types of herbicides, fungicides, insecticides and pesticides and the science behind them have changed multiple times.
Unfortunately, Health Canada, along with the USA's FDA, have decided that we do not consume enough of these chemicals to deem them unsafe. However, the reality is that they do harm us.
They have carcinogenic effects, negative effects on our nervous system, can alter/hinder the development of a fetus and developing infant, allergic reactions, and more.
The FDA actually had a zero-tolerance policy from 1958- 1996 for any cancer-causing agents in food. But when their technology got better in the later 90s, they found that there were cancer-causing agents in MOST of the fruits and vegetables. So instead of cutting out those foods, they decided to allow small amounts of cancer-causing toxins into the food.
In 2002 "Certified Organic" came on the stage. Finally there was a standard that had to be met in order to be called "Organic", and with this we had a way to limit our exposure to harmful toxins.
What foods need to be organic?
To keep this article short and sweet for you, I am just addressing PRODUCE.
I will address other foods in future posts though because they are equally important.
1. Strawberries and other berries
Unfortunately, strawberries have been found to have very high concentrations of pesticides. Specifically, high in pesticides that cause disruption to our endocrine function, and as a result, can affect our hormone balance.
Berries in general should be bought organic due to the inability to properly clean them. There are so many little nooks and crannies on berries that there is no way we could clean them properly.
2. Bananas
If you are eating bananas EVERYDAY or feeding them to your children, buy ORGANIC.
Bananas are heavily sprayed with chemicals, though the peels do offer a lot of protection. However, due to the fact that the bananas are sprayed with chemicals throughout the growing process, it is hard to know how much of the toxins are reaching the flesh of the fruit.
There is no definitive consensus on this one, but I say:
- If you eat them A LOT, buy organic to reduce exposure and build up of the same toxins
- If you are feeding them to your children, buy organic because your child's system is more vulnerable during development
- If you have the extra few dollars, just buy organic, but don't fret if you have to eat a non-organic banana
3. Stone Fruit - (peaches, cherries, apricots, plums, nectarines)
Stone fruits are heavily sprayed after they have been picked before shipping in order to keep the insects and pests away from their sweet smell. Stone fruits have very porous skins, and unfortunately that means that they soak in a lot of the chemicals that they were sprayed with.
4. Leafy Greens - lettuces, spinach, kale, chard, arugula, swiss chard
This one is a no brainer. The leaves are sprayed to keep the insects and pests from eating them, and we eat the leaves. It is very difficult to wash them off so do your best to buy organic when you can.
5. Grapes
Grapes ripen quickly and mold. To preserve them long enough to get them to the stores they are heavily sprayed. They are sprayed several times throughout the growing process, therefore exposure is high. Look for organic grapes and grape juices.
6. Cruciferous Vegetables - broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, cabbage
Maybe one of the worst due to their ability to soak up the chemicals that are sprayed on them. I know these are very hard to find organic, I have never seen them organic in my local grocery store. Try buying frozen organic if you don't have the option of fresh organic.
Tip: Try and eat fruits and veggies that are in season. Their exposure to chemicals will most likely be significantly less.
Here are a few more...
Green Beans:
The chemicals used are abundant. Illegal pesticides have been found on imported green beans.
Apples:
Very high in chemical exposure, much like strawberries. Most of the toxins stay on the skin so if you buy non-organic, make sure you discard the skin.
Celery:
High in neurotoxic chemical sprays. They are also difficult to clean properly.
Cleaning your produce:
It is wise to wash all of your produce regardless of if it is organic or not.
For organic produce you can wash by rubbing it under water.
You can also do this with non-organic but it will take a LONG time to get any pesticides off.
A new way of washing your produce that has been found to be effective for some pesticides is by soaking your produce in a water and baking soda solution for 2 minutes. This method may not make sense for some produce but a great option for many of them.
Tip: For you lemons and limes... If you are just after the juice, just use the juice and avoid the peel. For instance, if you are making a drink and you want to add a squirt of lemon, add the juice but DON'T put the peel in your drink. Skins are dirty and exactly where the toxins are sitting.
If you have any questions or concerns about the content, you will have an opportunity to ask questions this month during one of the two video chats. Otherwise, please feel free to comment on the chat board, the coinciding Instagram post or contact me directly via email or Instagram.
Sources:
Haas, Elson., Levin Buck, Staying Healthy with Nutrition, New York, Crown Publishing, 2006
Roberts, Catherine. “An Easy Way to Remove Pesticides.” Consumer Reports, Oct. 2017, www.consumerreports.org/pesticides-herbicides/easy-way-to-remove-pesticides/.