In my last post, I promised to give you the low down on why
to go organic with at least strawberries.
At the end of this post, I’ll give you the top 10 fruits/veggies to buy
organic. I know you've heard the list at
least a hundred times. So, name
them. Yep, I thought so. It may also be because it changes slightly
depending on who is writing the list. Think
of it as a friendly reminder because, honestly, with all the other things you
need to keep straight in your head, how can you remember everything?!
Strawberries are a tough crop for farmers. They are susceptible to critters (apparently
little pests think they’re as good as we do) and disease. As a result they are heavily fumigated. Methyl Bromide had been a fumigant of
choice. It’s a powerful ozone destroyer
as well as highly toxic to humans.
Methyl Bromide was supposed to be phased out 8 years ago. It was being replaced with Methyl Iodide, a
chemical so toxic it is actually used in labs to CREATE cancer cells. It is known to cause genetic damage,
miscarriages and cancer. Thankfully, in
March 2012 Methyl Iodide was banned in the US.
Good news right? Well………….welcome
back Methyl Bromide. The California
farmers (the majority of our strawberries are grown there) exercised an
exception clause and brought it back. There are over 50 pesticides used on
strawberries. A great resource if you’re ever interested in
what and how many pesticides are used on our crops is the Pesticide Action
Network’s database which you can find here http://www.pesticideinfo.org/
We can only make changes one person at a time. Supply and demand keeps these dangerous
chemicals on our farmlands and in our environment. Making the choice to go organic and taking a
stand against the use of toxins so severe that they top chemicals that are
already banned, reduces the demand. Possibly it can start to force the agricultural community to look at safer
alternatives.
Not everyone has the budget to go 100% organic. That’s ok.
We all do what we can for our families and our environment. Buying local and in season is one of the most
economical ways to buy organic.
Organics are definitely the flavor of the moment. It’s trendy.
Just remember – shop the perimeter of the grocery store and keep those
items organic, if you can. If you have to
make a choice of what to purchase organic, go with the fresh produce and
meats. Leave the organic chips and
crackers on the shelf.
As promised, here is your top 10 list of items to buy
organic!
1.
Apples
2.
Butter and Milk
3.
Peaches – have been known to have 10 times over
the legal limit of pesticide residue.
4.
Bell Peppers
5.
Cucumbers
6.
Grapes
7.
Cherry Tomatoes
8.
Spinach
9.
Celery
10.
Pears
The Environmental Work Group puts out a Dirty Dozen Plus
list every year. It’s a little different
from mine, so here it is for your reference. http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary.php.
That is it for today!
On top of all you have to do, now you have to make sure you've got your
organics right! It’s exhausting, I
know. Wish you could push a reset button
and get a little more energy to get you through the day? You can!
I’ll show you how in my next post.
Until then, make sure all you do, is fit for you!
