Most of us can probably still hear our mother’s voice in the back of our head telling us to eat our fruits and vegetables. My mom’s favorite nag reel: “Eat your colors!” Personally, I’m thankful that the creative minds at V8 waited until after I moved out of the house before giving my mother any ideas of forehead thumping. But now that I’m older, I do know she was right and I’m grateful for the encouragement.
However, I doubt either of my parents would have been as excited to see that spinach go down had they known it was smothered with dangerous pesticides. In fact, according to a recent massive study conducted by a Washington, D.C. based environmental research company (Environmental Working Group or EWG), some foods carry so much pesticide residue that the only way to protect yourself and your family is to buy brands that have been certified organic. The EWG concedes that, while going organic across the board is ideal, doing so can quickly become cost-prohibitive. But with some foods (warns the EWG), you simply don’t have much of a choice: you must forgo the cheaper, pesticide-laden versions.
So, what foods are the worst offenders when it comes to pesticide residues? The EWG calls them the Dirty Dozen, and here they are, in all of their harmful glory:
Fruit
-Apples
-Cherries
-Grapes (imported from Chile)
-Nectarines
-Peaches
-Pears
-Raspberries
-Strawberries
Vegetables
-Bell Peppers
-Celery
-Potatoes
-Spinach
What Does “Organic” Mean?
Depending on the context used, “organic” can have a variety of meanings. If you use your chemistry teacher’s definition, to be considered “organic,” a substance needs only to be carbon-based. Well, great--the gasoline you pumped into your car this morning is “organic.” I hardly think you’ll want to wrap your lips around the nozzle, though.
Your biology teacher took the definition one step further and said “organic” means a carbon-based compound produced by or derived from living (or once living) organisms. “Produced by”…now there’s some food for thought. Yuck.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) say “organic” means “produced without antibiotics, hormones, pesticides, irradiation or bioengineering.”
The moral of this story isn’t to quiz you on high school science; it’s to remind you to consider the meaning behind the fancy labels in the grocery store. For example, the FDA does not regulate “organic” claims on seafood, so seafood companies can holler “organic” all they want, regardless of potential heavy metal contamination in their products. According to your high school science teachers, those companies could very well be telling you the truth. According to FDA standards, those foods might not be organic at all.
To make sure you’re buying pesticide-free food, look for the green “USDA Organic” sticker on the packaging or on each individual piece of produce.
Other Benefits of Organic Food
Most people who eat organic food do so to avoid eating the hormones, pesticides, herbicides and other artificial and potentially harmful substances farmers often introduce during the growing cycle. Some studies also show that organically-grown produce has higher nutrient content than their non-organically-grown counterparts. Unfortunately though, for every study that seems to tout the benefits of organic, there seems to be another study that concludes there’s not much difference at all between the end products of the two growing methods. The bottom line is that eating organic certainly doesn’t hurt, so go for it if you can afford it. But if you’re on a budget, at least aim to buy organic versions of the Dirty Dozen.
For more information on pesticides and their potential risks when eaten, go to http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/food/
Nuwanee Kirihennedige – Is a nutritionist and dietician that works with athletes and health minded individuals on sports performance and weight loss. Nuwanee currently is the nutritionist for the California Strength Academy in San Ramon California. Nuwanee can be reached at nuwanee@californiastrength.com.