Organic is everywhere these days, from the cereal we eat in the morning to the aperitifs we sip at night. But amid all the good intentions, some lose sight of the most important things to buy organic, both for their own health and that of the environment. Here’s a list of the top 10 most important products to buy organic, as well as a recap of why it’s worthwhile.
Organic tips & tricks
- Though governments do attempt to regulate the use of pesticides, several commonly used chemicals have been linked to the following health problems: low birth weight and birth defects, interference with child development and cognitive ability, neurological problems, disruption of hormone function, and the development of cancers, including leukemia, kidney cancer, brain cancer, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
- Children along with unborn babies suffer more of the effects of pesticides than adults because their bodily systems are still developing. Additionally, in comparison to adults, children are much less able to detoxify most pesticides.
- Exposure to pesticides does happen by routes other than the internalization of food, but reasearch shows that reducing pesticide intake via food has an immediate observable effect on body-burden levels of pesticides.
- Still, it’s good to be aware of pesticides in all foods, because they can linger in the soil for years after organic production has begun. For that reason, it’s always best to peel fruits and veggies, both organic and conventional, to reduce pesticide intake.
Number 10
Milk
While milk is a natural product, all the antibiotics and hormones that go into high-yield cows most certainly aren’t. Some studies on supplements like recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) used in conventional milk production have suggested links to early puberty and other hormonal abnormalities. Danish studies have shown that not only does organic milk have less of the bad stuff, it has more of the good stuff. Specifically, organic milk has higher levels of vitamin E, omega-3 essential fatty acids and antioxidants.
Number 9
Eggs
Though they are a terrific source of protein, most eggs are produced using a range of antibiotics and hormones on the chickens that bear them. Given this, the health gains of eating organic eggs are similar to those of drinking organic milk. Essentially, organic eggs mean fewer hormones in the chicken and fewer foreign hormones (or chemicals acting as hormones) in your body.
Number 8
Potatoes
Chlorothalonil, often used on potatoes, can be particularly harmful to children. In fact, chlorothalonil was deemed so unhealthy by the state of New York that it was at the center of a lawsuit against the U.S. federal government due to its extensive commercial use. Moreover, in Canada, potato pesticides have been linked to high rates of asthma and asthma-related deaths in farming communities. And no, ketchup doesn’t cancel out the ill effects, so go green on this one.
Number 7
Spinach
Poor spinach. It’s actually one of nature’s most healthy “superfoods,” one that nutritionists and doctors keep on encouraging us to eat. But it’s not just E. coli scares that have given conventionally grown spinach a bad name. Spinach is another regular feature on pesticide-occurrence lists, with one sample of spinach in a study having residues of more than 20 different pesticides on it.
Number 6
Grapes
Grapes from Chile add a load of detrimental fungicides to your diet. Even U.S. grapes contain methyl parathion and methomyl, a carbamate insecticide listed as an endocrine disruptor. You’ve got it — bring in the organics on this one!
Number 5
Pears
No matter how good they taste, conventional pears consistently show up on lists of the most pesticide-rich fruits and vegetables. Though it was banned from use on pears, methyl parathion — the fungicide that contributes significantly to the toxicity of strawberries and peaches — shows up in the fruit’s residues, as does azinphos-methyl, an acutely toxic chemical used on many fruit crops.
Number 4
Strawberries
Strawberries, those tasty morsels that make a good waffle even more worthwhile, unfortunately show high levels of fungicides. Two of these fungicides, captan and iprodione, are classified as probable human carcinogens by the EPA. Moreover, vinclozolin, another common fungicide found on strawberries, impedes the normal functioning of the male hormone, androgen. Among other commonly found contaminants on strawberries is endosulfan, a relative of DDT that imitates the hormone estrogen, which ends up interfering with your normal hormone levels. Go organic on these and you’ll feel even better after that lazy Sunday brunch.
Number 3
Bell peppers
Typically, green bell peppers are added to diets to provide vitamin C, while red bell peppers enrich meals with vitamin A and a moderate dose of carotenoids. Unfortunately, when it comes to crops, bell peppers are the most heavily contaminated vegetables out there in terms of neurotoxic insecticides. Even the USDA has found pesticide residues on over 95% of conventional bell peppers. Go for organic to avoid this type of high exposure.
Number 2
Apples
Though they say that one a day keeps the doctor away, this rule of thumb might only apply to organic varieties. The pesticide load of apples is disturbingly high. In one study, there were more pesticides detected on apples (36%), and more pesticides found on single samples of apples (7%), than any other fruit or vegetable analyzed. And while apples aren’t No. 1 when it comes to fruits contaminated with dangerous chemicals, they are always near the top of the list. Given this, it is important that you choose one of the many organic options popping up at your local market instead.
Number 1
Peaches
Peaches are the No. 1 fruit to avoid in conventional produce. In some studies, they’ve had up to 10 times as much pesticide on them as other fruits and vegetables. And those chemicals aren’t friendly ones: They include the cancer-linked fungicides captan and iprodione, and the neurotoxic pesticide methyl parathion.
must-have organic eats
If you’re interested in making sure that the only hormones and chemicals in your body are self-produced or voluntarily there, be sure to start buying more organic foods. Here’s a helpful hint: Stick this list in your shopping cart and keep it handy until you know off the top of your head which organics are the best buy for your dollar.
Resources:
www.consumersunion.org
www.grinningplanet.com
www.sciencenews.org
www.sdearthtimes.com
www.panna.org
www.thegreenguide.com
www.oag.state.ny.us
www.stonyfield.com
www.organicconsumers.org
www.macrowholefoods.com.au
http://veg.ca