Organic or Not? How to decide...

Top pesticide offenders in the produce department

It seems that every day, stores are carrying more and more organic items. Generally, organic items cost slightly more, so families are left questioning if organic items are necessary. I had the same questions. If money were not an object, you bet we’d all buy only organic foods. However, we live in the real world of bills and budgets, so here’s some information to help you make this decision for your family.

The Facts:

USDA’s most recent report of produce testing reveals widespread pesticide contamination on popular fruits and vegetables (USDA 2008):

• USDA found one or more pesticides on 70.3% of samples tested.
• The agency found a mixture of between 5 and 13 different pesticide residues tainting one of every 10 samples (10.4%) of fruit or vegetable analyzed.

According to the Environmental Working Group’s analysis of USDA and FDA data:

For infants 6 to 12 months old, commercial baby food is the dominant source of unsafe levels of pesticides in food. Every day, about 77,000 infants are exposed to unsafe levels through eating baby food preparations of apple juice, apple sauce, pears and peaches. The authors stress that baby food is generally safer than other foods parents may feed their infants.

"The point is not that parents should avoid feeding baby food to their children, the point is that pesticides in baby food are not safe for babies. Baby food should not have any pesticides in it at all. We think if you ask parents, they will agree," said Wiles. "In the meantime, organic baby food provides parents with an added measure of safety," Wiles added.

http://www.ewg.org/node/20168

Imported fruits and vegetables can be laced with chemicals not approved for use on U.S. food and not tested by FDA inspectors.

The effects:

Although dozens of pesticides have been routinely detected in human tissues, we still know little about their effects on the body. The few pesticides that have been studied in people, like neurotoxic organophosphate compounds used on some fruits and vegetables, find increased risks for neurological problems in children.

Many pesticides now illegal for use on popular fruits and vegetables have been replaced by new pesticides that claim emerging safety concerns. One new class, neonicotinoids, has been restricted in numerous countries because the compounds are toxic to honey bees in miniscule quantities and are implicated in the global die-off of these vital plant pollinators (EPA 2010). Recent laboratory research suggests that these pesticides are toxic to the brain and nervous system. EPA is slated to reassess neonicotinoids for safety in 2012. In the meantime, the agency has approved six of these pesticides for use on U.S. foods, and the compounds now widely contaminate produce, including apples, peaches, broccoli and blueberries.

The bottom line: Americans need to eat more fruit and vegetables to be healthy. What should we do?

The EWG has published two lists: the “dirty dozen” and the “clean fifteen.” These lists tell you the worst offenders and the cleanest examples in the produce department. When looking for items on the “dirty dozen,” try to go organic. If your grocer doesn’t carry those items in their organics section, request them. Stores would rather carry what you want to buy.

The Full List: 49 Fruits and Veggies

Rank	Fruit or Veggie
1 (Best)	Onions
2	Avocado
3	Sweet Corn (Frozen)
4	Pineapples
5	Mango (Subtropical and Tropical)
6	Sweet Peas (Frozen)
7	Asparagus
8	Kiwi Fruit (Subtropical and Tropical)
9	Cabbage
10	Eggplant
11	Cantaloupe (Domestic)
12	Watermelon
13	Grapefruit
14	Sweet Potatoes
15	Honeydew Melon
16	Plums (Domestic)
17	Cranberries
18	Winter Squash
19	Broccoli
20	Bananas
21	Tomatoes
22	Cauliflower
23	Cucumbers (Domestic)
24	Cantaloupe (Imported)
25	Grapes (Domestic)
26	Oranges
27	Red Raspberries
28	Hot Peppers
29	Green Beans (Imported)
30	Cucumbers (Imported)
31	Summer Squash
32	Plums (Imported)
33	Pears
34	Green Beans (Domestic)
35	Carrots
36	Blueberries (Imported)
37	Lettuce
38	Grapes (Imported)
39	Potatoes
40	Kale / Collard Greens
41	Cherries
42	Spinach
43	Sweet Bell Peppers
44	Nectarines
45	Blueberries (Domestic)
46	Apples
47	Strawberries
48	Peaches
49 (Worst)	Celery

You can find a pocket-sized printable of the “dirty dozen” and the “clean 15” at the link below.

http://static.foodnews.org/pdf/EWG-shoppers-guide.pdf

You can also get an app for iPhone with the two lists to help make shopping easier.

My advice:

The effects of pesticides are felt most by our youngest. Current American safety guidelines are written for adult exposure. As adults, we take 1000 mg of acetaminophen when we have a fever, but we would never give that much to our toddler. Not only is the exposure level different, but babies and young children are in a crucial developmental time when their brains are growing and changing by leaps and bounds. The likelihood of something "going wrong" is much greater at this time. They need to be protected from harmful agents.

So how do we eat more fruits and veggies, protect our children, AND balance our grocery budget?

If you're buying an item on the "dirty dozen" list, try to find an organic source for it. Tell your grocery store manager that you would like for them to carry it, or look up a local farmers' market. Pick fruits and veggies from the "clean fifteen" in your regular, non-organic produce isles. You can save money there and not worry about large exposure to pesticides.

If you are fortunate enough to have outside space, why not plant a fall garden? We are much more likely to eat and appreciate our food if we put the effort into growing it ourselves.

Avoiding pesticide exposure is important for everyone. Babies, young children, and pregnant women are the most susceptible to neurological effects. I hope that I've provided some food for thought.

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