Here is the list of the top 10 foods you must eat organic.
Discerning which foods to eat organic or not eat organic is becoming more of a task these days. Most us remain confused. Cost is also a concern.
For nine years now, The Environmental Working Group has been releasing a shoppers’ guide to pesticides in produce. The list ranks pesticide contamination of almost 50 popular fruits and veggies based on more than 28,000 samples tested by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration.
The EWG also recommends purchasing locally grown varieties, which can lower pesticide intake by 80% versus conventionally grown produce.
Conventional versus organic:
“Organic” refers to the way farmers grow and process agricultural products.
Organic farming practices are environment friendly: They encourage soil and water conservation and reduce pollution.
Farmers who grow organic produce and meat don’t use conventional methods to fertilize, control weeds or prevent livestock disease.
Instead of using toxic chemically loaded weedkillers, organic farmers try to conduct more sophisticated crop rotations and spread natural mulch or manure to keep weeds at bay.
Why organic food is good food: The Basic reasons why we should eat more organic foods.
a. It tastes good.
b. It is good for the environment.
The EPA says that agriculture is responsible for 70% of the pollution to the country’s rivers and streams caused by chemicals, erosion, and animal waste runoff.
c. It is good for you as it is pesticide-free, so you can reap the benefits.
Pesticides are difficult to wash off, especially in thin-skinned fruits like berries.
d. It is good for small-scale farmers and you can do your part to support your local farmers.
Based on the EWG’s findings, we compiled a list of the foods to eat organic. For the rest make sure you use a good food wash to clean the dirt and existing levels of pesticides.
List of the DIRTIEST foods: The one YOU must try to eat organic
1. Apples:
The EWG found 47 different kinds of pesticides on apples. They are high maintenance and need many pesticides to ward off insects and mold.
2. Celery:
Research showed that a single celery stalk had 13 pesticides. On the whole, celery contained about 67 pesticides.
3. Cherries tomatoes:
Their soft skin allows for easy absorption of pesticides
4. Blueberries and strawberries:
They have a soft and thin skin which “drinks in” pesticides.
5. Grapes:
They have extremely thin skins, allowing for penetration of pesticides.
6. Leafy Greens: Lettuce, spinach, kale and collard greens:
They are doused in pesticides to ward off insects. They show residues of organophosphates and risky pesticides.
Spinach is loaded with 45 different kinds of pesticides and kale 57.
7. Peaches:
Peaches are sprayed with almost 67 different chemicals. It is second on the 2010 Dirty Dozen list of most contaminated fruits and vegetables.
Note: Nectarines (imported ones) are on the dirty list.
8. Peppers:
They are like a sponge and absorb the chemicals through the skin. Washing or peeling will not remove all. According to the EWG, sweet bell peppers showed traces of 63 types of pesticides.
9. Potatoes:
Potatoes are grown above ground, therefore are sprayed with pesticides.
If you can’t buy organic potatoes try sweet potatoes, as they are grown with less pesticides.
10. Domestically-grown summer squash:
It showed contamination with pesticides exceptionally toxic to the nervous system.
DAIRY PRODUCTS:
Dairy Products such as Yogurt, kefir, butter, cheese and ice-cream must be purchased organic.
Non-organic dairy products may come from cows fed a diet of genetically modified corn, soy, antibiotics and even hormones.
Please note that organically grown crops may not be fertilized with any synthetic fertilizers. They use manure or compost, to feed soil and plants.
Organically grown produce are sprayed with various naturally-occurring pest-control substances such as sulfur, copper, dolomite, and diatomaceous earth.
These are safer for farmers, farm workers, and the environment.
We hope you will print this list of foods you need to eat organic.
For the truth behind 8 foods to avoid at the supermarket.
For the top 10 cancer-fighting foods.
REFERENCES:
1. “Organic foods, are they safer.” Mayo Clinic, Web. 03 September 2013.
2. “EWG’s 2013 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™.” EWG, Web. 03 September 2013.
7 Comments