Organic Fruits and Veggies

 
 

Hey BA!

Like we talked about last week, QUALITY MATTERS. Vegetables and fruits are full of beneficial nutrients, but can also contain harmful toxins depending on how they were grown. Glyphosate, aka Roundup, for example, is a widely-used herbicide amongst conventional farmers designed to kill weeds that would otherwise starve out the crops. It’s a poison that’s arguably a little too effective. Glyphosate remains on the crops through harvest and enters our gut upon consumption. While deemed safe at low levels, issues arise when these low levels begin to add up. Our body is designed to detoxify itself, but when flooded with environmental toxins on a daily basis, the system can get overwhelmed and become ineffective. In addition, these chemicals have been shown to hide out in the gut longer than intended. As a result, the impact of pesticide accumulation over time needs to be considered. Moderate to high levels are carcinogenic and negatively impact the gut by deteriorating the lining and disrupting the microbiome. This contributes to other diseases and illnesses, as the microbiome plays a major role in overall health.

While complete avoidance is impossible, pesticide exposure can be minimized. This is where quality comes into play. You can probably guess where this is going, but buying organic produce dramatically reduces your consumption of pesticides and other toxins. Buying all organic, however, can get expensive and is not always feasible. So, how do we minimize toxin exposure without breaking the bank? Follow EWG’s guidelines!

EWG stands for Environmental Working Group. Each year, they rank pesticide contamination in produce based on comprehensive testing and put together two lists known as the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen.

Dirty Dozen = highest pesticide contamination

Clean Fifteen = lowest pesticide contamination

If following these guidelines, always buy organic for the produce listed on the Dirty Dozen. The Clean Fifteen list reveals where you can be more lenient in your buying habits. While organic is always best, it’s not as necessary for the Clean Fifteen items. Below are EWG’s 2021 Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen.

EWG’s Dirty Dozen

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  1. Strawberries

  2. Spinach

  3. Kale, collard and mustard greens

  4. Nectarines

  5. Apples

  6. Grapes

  7. Cherries

  8. Peaches

  9. Pears

  10. Bell and hot peppers

  11. Celery

  12. Tomatoes

EWG’s Clean Fifteen

  1. Avocados

  2. Sweet Corn*

  3. Pineapple

  4. Onions

  5. Papaya*

  6. Sweet peas (frozen)

  7. Eggplant

  8. Asparagus

  9. Broccoli

  10. Cabbage

  11. Kiwi

  12. Cauliflower

  13. Mushrooms

  14. Honeydew melon

  15. Cantaloupe

*May be produced from genetically modified seeds. Buy organic if you want to avoid.

 
Park Roberts