If you buy your groceries at any super market (unless buying labeled organic produce) you can be sure that the produce has these appetizing toxins:
Crop pesticide percent w/pesticide residue
1. Potato chlorpropham herbicide 51%
2. Apple azinphosmethyl insecticide 84%
3. Apple captan fungicide 34%
4. Apple phosmet insecticide 84%
5. Apple diphelamine growth regulator100%
6.Apple thiabendazole fungicide 100%
7. Peach phosmet insecticide 79%
8. Strawberry captan fungicide 59%
9. Apple carbaryl insecticide 100%
10. Peach captan fungicide 45%
11. Corn, grain malathion insecticide 51%
12. Wheat, grain
chlorpyrifoc-methyl insecticide 64%
13. Apple 4-(phenylamon0) fungicide 100%
phenol (metabolite)
22. Potato DDT insecticide 9%
24. Celery chlorothalanil fungicide 13%
27. Green bean acephate insecticide 77%
28. Green bean methamidophos insecticide 77%
These are the things to eat and not to eat, there is no question!!! Not saying you may never eat these items again, just saying that these are the items to try to buy organic. Might of heard of this dirty dozen list, well here it is:
1. Celery- Celery has no protective skin, which makes it almost impossible to wash off the chemicals (64 of them!) that are used on crops. Buy organic celery, or choose alternatives like broccoli, radishes, and onions.
2. Peaches- Multiple pesticides (as many as 62 of them) are regularly applied to these delicately skinned fruits in conventional orchards. Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include watermelon, tangerines, oranges, and grapefruit.
3. Strawberries- If you buy strawberries, especially out of season, they're most likely imported from countries that have less-stringent regulations for pesticide use. 59 pesticides have been detected in residue on strawberries. Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include kiwi and pineapples.
4. Apples- Like peaches, apples are typically grown with poisons to kill a variety of pests, from fungi to insects. Tests have found 42 different pesticides as residue on apples. Scrubbing and peeling doesn't eliminate chemical residue completely, so it's best to buy organic when it comes to apples. Peeling a fruit or vegetable also strips away many of their beneficial nutrients. Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include watermelon, bananas, and tangerines.
5. Blueberries- New on the Dirty Dozen list in 2010, blueberries are treated with as many as 52 pesticides, making them one of the dirtiest berries on the market.
6. Nectarines- With 33 different types of pesticides found on nectarines, they rank up there with apples and peaches among the dirtiest tree fruit. Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include, watermelon, papaya, and mango.
7. Bell peppers- Peppers have thin skins that don't offer much of a barrier to pesticides. They're often heavily sprayed with insecticides. (Tests have found 49 different pesticides on sweet bell peppers.) Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include green peas, broccoli, and cabbage.
8. Spinach- New on the list for 2010, spinach can be laced with as many as 48 different pesticides, making it one of the most contaminated green leafy vegetable.
9. Kale- Traditionally, kale is known as a hardier vegetable that rarely suffers from pests and disease, but it was found to have high amounts of pesticide residue when tested this year. Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include cabbage, asparagus, and broccoli. But believe you me anyone can grow Kale, it is so easy. It is a super food to growing and eating Kale will be a great benefit to your diet.
10. Cherries- Even locally grown cherries are not necessarily safe. In fact, in one survey in recent years, cherries grown in the U.S. were found to have three times more pesticide residue then imported cherries. Government testing has found 42 different pesticides on cherries. Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include raspberries and cranberries.
11. Potatoes- America's popular spud reappears on the 2010 Dirty Dozen list, after a year hiatus. America's favorite vegetable can be laced with as many as 37 different pesticides. Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include eggplant, cabbage, and earthy mushrooms.
12. Grapes- Imported grapes run a much greater risk of contamination than those grown domestically. Only imported grapes make the 2010 Dirty Dozen list. Vineyards can be sprayed with different pesticides during different growth periods of the grape, and no amount of washing or peeling will eliminate contamination because of the grape's thin skin. Remember, wine is made from grapes, which testing shows can harbor as many as 34 different pesticides. Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include kiwi and raspberries.
The lighter hearted counterpart the clean 15- All the produce on “The Clean 15” bore little to no traces of pesticides, and is safe to consume in non-organic form. This list includes:
Onions, avocados, sweet corn, pineapples, mango, sweet peas, asparagus, kiwi fruit, cabbage, eggplant, cantaloupe, watermelon, grapefruit, sweet potatoes, sweet onions
Growing your own is the way to go friends. There are classes at the co-op in your area if you don't have a green thumb. My personal favorite nursery to go to is the capitol nursery in Sacramento off of Freeport. They got the goods I promise you. I encourage you to try urban gardening, you might be surprised even if it is just a large pot of tomatoes you will be happy you did. For someone like me who eats a whole bunch of veggies the weekly boxes won't work for me, due to the fact that: A) going with a planned out menu of the week and a shopping list gets you out a lot cheaper than those pricey boxes… B) I want to pick what I am eating, I don't want anyone else doing it for me. To have to wait to see what you are going to get doesn't work for someone like me. I don't want to have to go buy ingredients after the fact. Every time I try to make yummy stuff from one of these boxes I just end up at the store anyways. So if I don't grow it myself, I usually go to the C0-op or I have always had luck at our local W St. Farmer’s Market. I have been going every Sunday for about 4 years and can I say that the vendors are a’ changin... What once was a whole bunch of farmers from all over, with produce that was grown with pesticides... Now the Sunday farmers market is largely organic and very much local growers with lots to choose from. I used to only have about 2 stands to go to for organic and now I have plenty more.
Now I realize that you may have a busy life and don’t want to deal with all the boxes and gardens and blah blah blah, well, the simple way to go is to just buy organic. I know it’s pricier but in the long run you will be happy you did. Whole foods, super expensive... I rarely buy produce there. But every store has organic so work it out brothers and sistas….
For dates and time of our areas local markets look here..
Soil born farms produce boxes are amazing because they are local and you can go grab them yourself once a week at a few locations for only about $22.00 a week. I like that you can go pick them up and not have to rely on a delivery service that is increasing the carbon foot print of the whole service…
Here is their link for more info. Look under weekly boxes! It can be fun to look up new recipes and cook with the family a new veggie you would have probably never bought yourself!
Farm fresh to you is a good idea, but they are not as local as soil born farms... But at least they are organic and you can't win them all right; 0 Here is their link:
Please message me if you have any questions about produce or gardening. I gots a whole lot to share, and if I don't gots no answer ; ) I have a couple of go-to pals for answers.. Thanks for reading… please follow this blog & “like” the Earthy Consumer Community on facebook, click here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Earthy-Consumer/144520202290689
Tread lightly!
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