In the early 1980s you could find me teaching myself Yoga and shopping in health food stores (although there weren’t many of them back then).  My friends and family thought I was nuts.  I was also buying environmentally friendly cleaning products.  I once invited my Mom to a meeting so she could learn more about the products.  At the time, this type of thinking was non-conventional.  She actually thought I was involved in a cult!! 

Back then I was also practicing healthy eating habits by washing my fruits and vegetables in a cleaning solution.There is mounting evidence in the scientific journals regarding the invasive ways in which small doses of pesticides affect humans.  This is particularly so while in the critical stages of fetal development and childhood where the results of exposure in the long term  may be unknown  Also, consider those that have compromised immune systems and the elderly who may not eat properly to begin with.  Why take chances?  Why not practice healthy eating habits and lessen the risk as much as possible for yourself and your family?

 These days we now have organic produce to choose from.  The Organic industry embraces an ecological means to farming.  This means farmers are unable to rely on, or permit the usage of, toxic substances, synthetic pesticides, irradiation, genetically modified organisms, sewage sludge, antibiotics or chemical fertilizers.  Although produce that is “certified organic” will cost you more it may be your best bet for serving your family pesticide-free food.  

Consider the following 3 steps to healthy eating habits:

1. If you can buy organic then do so.  Buying organic is expensive and many people are unable to afford to shop this way but don’t despair – read on.
2. Purchasing in-season, locally grown produce from your community retailers will help you reduce your risk of exposure to preservatives that are used in food transported over long distances.  These include waxes, irradiation, gases, synthetic chemicals like fungicides and sprout inhibitors that will lessen the nutritional quality of your foods while having a negative effect on your health.
3. Whether you buy organic or not, do practice healthy eating habits by washing your fruits and vegetables.  Over 70% of conventional produce samples have traces of pesticides and chemical residue.  A major problem lies in the fact that most pesticides and chemicals will penetrate the skin of the fruit and contaminate the inside. In spite of this, it is still a wise choice to thoroughly wash produce to remove superficial dirt and reduce the risk of spreading bacterial illnesses such as salmonella.  You will still have the potential for exposure to harmful pesticides that have penetrated the interior of the vegetable or fruit but at least you are doing what you can to reduce your risk.   For washing your produce look for an environmentally friendly cleaning product that is biodegradable, contains no phosphates and comes with the green seal certification or try the following homemade solution recommended by Kendra of handprints on the wall:

Produce Spray – Makes about 2 cups

•  1 cup water
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Baking Soda
• 20 drops Grapefruit Seed Extract
• Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.  Stir slowly and carefully as the combination of vinegar and baking soda causes quite a bit of foaming.  Once the bubbles have gone down, pour the solution into a spray bottle.  Spray on produce before eating.  Let sit 10 minutes before rinsing well.
• *Note: Don’t ever soak mushrooms in this solution as they will only absorb it.

Arm yourself with the Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce produced by The Environmental Working Group.  This will give you a ranking of contamination found in 44 popular fruits and vegetables.  For example, peaches have the highest pesticide score followed by apples and sweet bell peppers.  This is not meant to force us to eliminate our favorite foods from our selection.  This is meant to help us with healthy eating habits and wise choices.  Armed with this list when you are shopping you can use the guide to shop for organic alternatives to the conventionally grown fruits and vegetables that are likely to contain the most residues of pesticides.  As organic food can be very expensive this list will help you choose conventionally grown food with the lowest residue of pesticide.  You can choose from the best of both worlds while keeping your family healthy and keeping your costs down.

The Environmental Working Group has also listed the “Dirty Dozen” contaminated fruits and vegetables and they believe that by switching those with the least contaminated or organic versions then people can lower their pesticide exposure by almost 90 percent.

The key is to reduce the exposure that you and your family have to pesticides.  If you are able then buy organic.  In the alternative, try to substitute the most highly sprayed fruits and vegetables with organically grown and continue to buy conventional fruits and vegetables for the remainder of your needs.  Fruits and vegetables that you purchase in conventional form should be thoroughly washed and peeled in order to remove, as much as possible, the surface chemical residues.

By adding these suggested methods to your healthy eating habits and washing your fruits and vegetables you will do more to reduce your family’s risk of exposure to harmful substances than by doing nothing at all.

Tags: buying organic, certified organic, healthy eating habits, pesticides