Top foods tainted by chemicals

Farmers have been using pesticides on their food crops for decades. That’s not news. But what IS news is that these pesticides are causing serious harm to humans. Some pesticides have been involved in the pathogenesis (the development) of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases as well as various disorders of the respiratory and reproductive tracts. Many pesticides are endocrine disruptors, substances that alter the function of the endocrine system and cause adverse health effects.

One example of this is that endocrine disrupting chemicals such as those found in many pesticides can damage the reproductive system. Some kill or damage cells; if these are sperm cells or oocytes, infertility can result. Others alter DNA structure, causing gene mutations that may result in birth defects or an inability to conceive. And endocrine disruptor-caused changes in hormone levels or function can result in abnormalities in reproduction, growth, and development, as well as cancer and immune system disorders, in infants and children.

Photo courtesty of Vegan Photo, flickr

Needless to say, our food is a direct link to our ingesting unwanted pesticides. So it’s vital to recognize the foods that are highest in pesticide residue. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) compiles it’s annual Dirty Dozen list. This year’s list (in order of concern) is:

1. Strawberries
2. Spinach
3. Kale, collard & mustard greens
4. Nectarines
5. Apples
6. Grapes
7. Bell & hot peppers
8. Cherries
9. Peaches
10. Pears
11. Celery
12. Tomatoes (especially cherry tomatoes)

A recent newsletter from Change That Up added a few to this list:

• Cucumbers
• Snap peas
• Potatoes
• Blueberries
• Lettuce
• Plums
• Green beans

Photo courtesy of woodleywonderworks, flickr

So after reading these lists, what can you do? No, you don’t have to stop eating the veggies you like or the fruit you love. But you CAN do something to help dramatically reduce the amount of pesticides you unwittingly eat along with those fruits and veggies. And the solutions are pretty simple.

First, WASH YOUR PRODUCE!! And washing in just water isn’t enough. Many pesticides are designed to adhere or stick to produce in rain so you need to do more. Wash your produce in either a good veggie wash product – most supermarkets have at least one to choose from – or a simple solution of baking soda and water. It’s a simple method:

Swirl produce in a solution of 2 teaspoons baking soda per 1 quart water for 30 seconds (the produce should be submerged in at least 1 inch of water). Then rinse under cold running water. 

Will these methods eliminate all pesticides from your produce? Sadly, the answer is not all. Some vegetables absorb pesticides through their stems into the fruit so there’s no way to get rid of them. For those, another solution would be to buy organic produce whenever possible. You can pick and choose which ones to buy according to the list above if you like. That can help you save on your grocery bill.

It pays to be an informed consumer, and more so as more research reveals the impact of toxic chemicals on humans. But educating ourselves on what’s on and in our food is a crucial step towards living a healthy lifestyle, don’t you think? The more we know, the smarter choices we can make.