Pesticides in produce - are nonorganic fruits and vegetables worthwhile?

GroovyLord

Like most, I get my food from a big chain super market, Stop & Shop. Lately I've been including a lot more fruits and vegetables in my diet. Generally non-organic. But I've been reading how pesticides are very bad and are found on 99% of produce.

For example leafy greens, apples, and strawberries. All staples of my diet there. I do take a multivitamin, my question is do you think the nutrients of fruits and vegetables are worthwhile despite the pesticides?

Also, organic produce is often not pesticide free either. It seems the more you learn about food the more it seems like nothing is completely good for you. Anyways, what do you think folks?

IsaackGMOON

I don't often buy organic and I'm still fine.

I think you're safe OP.

yarwell

There are safety levels of pesticides and monitoring of residues so in general I don't pay the organic premium.

LiftAndBalance

I grew up on mostly organic foods and prefer it but where I live now, it's very hard to find and too expensive for my current financial situation so I buy conventional. I think for the US there's a list on the dirty dozen or something like that, about which veggies and fruits are most and least problematic. In any case, eating produce is always better than not eating produce.

GroovyLord

I have read an article that says you shouldn't worry about it too much. But there is the official "dirty dozen" list of the produce with most pesticides, and it sounds like something to possibly avoid or cut back on. Apples were the #1 culprit. But some produce apparently is naturally more "clean" and retains less pesticides, oranges and pineapple for example.

I guess I wonder if apples for example are a necessary part of a diet. I like them, but if they have the most pesticides, would orange and pineapple make up for the less apples in my diet? They have some vitamins and are good for fiber, but it seems you can get these elsewhere too. Always interesting stuff to think about.

professionalHobbyist

People have wildly varied opinions based on limited information

DDT was supposed to be safe. The same govt tells us all these pesticides are safe.

Thalidomide was supposed to be safe. The govt told us so. There was a generation of babies born with birth defects.

Smoking was actually touted as healthy at one time!!

I try to avoid poisons when I can.

I don't know for sure how safe they are or are not. But if I consume as little as possible I feel better about my chances!

It is a personal choice.

kxbrown27

I've been eating non-organic food for 40 years and I'm fine. Organic doesn't mean pesticide free, has no greater nutritional value, and is not "better" for you over all. I eat 4-5 apples per week and have never had any ill effect that a doctor can attribute to the minute levels of pesticides used on them. Eat conventional food and use the money you save to buy more beer.

lemurcat12

yarwell wrote: »

There are safety levels of pesticides and monitoring of residues so in general I don't pay the organic premium.

I think this is good advice.

I tend to buy local when possible, and my usual source of that is organic, but when I buy out of season stuff (because I'm not forgoing veggies during the winter or early spring, for example) I usually buy conventional.

If you are asking whether you are better off not eating fruits and veggies than eating conventional, I think there's no question it's healthier to eat the fruits and veggies.

Keepingtrack1234

^Yes, this. As Mark Bittman says, eat REAL food whenever you can. I try to be cognizant of the dirty dozen, especially for my daughter, but in the end, if conventional blueberries are 99c a pint at Aldi, you can bet we will be eating a lot of those for a month or so!

RodaRose

GroovyLord wrote: »

I have read an article that says you shouldn't worry about it too much. But there is the official "dirty dozen" list of the produce with most pesticides, and it sounds like something to possibly avoid or cut back on. Apples were the #1 culprit. But some produce apparently is naturally more "clean" and retains less pesticides, oranges and pineapple for example.

I guess I wonder if apples for example are a necessary part of a diet. I like them, but if they have the most pesticides, would orange and pineapple make up for the less apples in my diet? They have some vitamins and are good for fiber, but it seems you can get these elsewhere too. Always interesting stuff to think about.

Eat the apples along with the oranges and pineapples. It is important to eat fruits and veggies even if we are only 95% comfortable about how they are grown.

Timelordlady85

IsaackGMOON wrote: »

I don't often buy organic and I'm still fine.

I think you're safe OP.

THIS.Also, if you ever get the chance, watch Penn and Tellers *kitten* episode on organics. I don't buy into organic foods. sorry

coreyreichle

GroovyLord wrote: »

Like most, I get my food from a big chain super market, Stop & Shop. Lately I've been including a lot more fruits and vegetables in my diet. Generally non-organic. But I've been reading how pesticides are very bad and are found on 99% of produce.

For example leafy greens, apples, and strawberries. All staples of my diet there. I do take a multivitamin, my question is do you think the nutrients of fruits and vegetables are worthwhile despite the pesticides?

Also, organic produce is often not pesticide free either. It seems the more you learn about food the more it seems like nothing is completely good for you. Anyways, what do you think folks?

Pesticides are on organic food too. They're "organic" pesticides, like Copper Sulfate (Very toxic), arsenic-containing compounds, etc etc etc.

Organic food is more marketing hype than anything that really matters.

Drewlssix

GroovyLord wrote: »

Like most, I get my food from a big chain super market, Stop & Shop. Lately I've been including a lot more fruits and vegetables in my diet. Generally non-organic. But I've been reading how pesticides are very bad and are found on 99% of produce.

For example leafy greens, apples, and strawberries. All staples of my diet there. I do take a multivitamin, my question is do you think the nutrients of fruits and vegetables are worthwhile despite the pesticides?

Also, organic produce is often not pesticide free either. It seems the more you learn about food the more it seems like nothing is completely good for you. Anyways, what do you think folks?

One thing to remember is that nearly all produce will have pesticides, and that "organic" produce will usually have older natural pesticides based on the idea that natural is good.

Many years ago when it was discovered that the then modern pesticides were linked to health issues some made toe move to so called organic pesticides while the rest made the move to newer and much improved products that are not only less toxic than what it replaced but better by far than the organic products being used by some organic growers.

zyxst

I'll risk my life with pesticides over finding spiders in my bananas.

HASWLRS

Some of the spraying on produce is to prevent the minor skin blemishes that we, the consumer, find unpalatable and would never purchase otherwise. We are to blame for some of this. Also, in this day and age science can test for minute traces of anything. It may still be there, but is "one part per trillion" really going to affect us? I think not.

bubaluboo

Wash your fruit and veg. It removes both the pesticides and infectious contamination solving two potential hazards in one go.

midpath

I buy organic if its on sale for cheaper or close to the regular stuff in price. Otherwise I grow some organic veggies in pots on my front porch and I try to go for bulk grass-fed/pastured meats.

I don't think organic has no value to it but it is expensive. I'd say do what you can do. Cleaning up your diet a bit is never a bad thing but don't do it at the expense of livelihood.

ljmorgi

zyxst wrote: »

I'll risk my life with pesticides over finding spiders in my bananas.

Just count the spiders toward your protein.

CSARdiver

Just rinse your food and you'll be fine. Fear mongering is a nice marketing tool, but seldom real.

whmscll

Just use a vegetable wash on your produce. Not perfect or infallible, but eating fruits and vegetables is important. I never buy organic...can't afford it.

cwolfman13

well, you wash your fruit and veg right?

also, organic produce also uses pesticides...

_John_

professionalHobbyist wrote: »

People have wildly varied opinions based on limited information

DDT was supposed to be safe. The same govt tells us all these pesticides are safe.

Thalidomide was supposed to be safe. The govt told us so. There was a generation of babies born with birth defects.

Smoking was actually touted as healthy at one time!!

I try to avoid poisons when I can.

I don't know for sure how safe they are or are not. But if I consume as little as possible I feel better about my chances!

It is a personal choice.

as far as pesticides go, DDT is not that toxic to us. It just has that nasty little problem of degrading to DDE then sticking around to play with your grandkids.

Its invention and use has saved millions around the world though...

mantium999

midpath wrote: »

I buy organic if its on sale for cheaper or close to the regular stuff in price. Otherwise I grow some organic veggies in pots on my front porch and I try to go for bulk grass-fed/pastured meats.

I don't think organic has no value to it but it is expensive. I'd say do what you can do. Cleaning up your diet a bit is never a bad thing but don't do it at the expense of livelihood.

This doesn't answer any of the questions in the OP.

OP, I agree with the others. I eat all the produce, and don't give the pesticides a second thought.

Furbuster

If I buy veg/fruit and I can afford it I buy organic. Not just for the sprays that are allowed/not allowed but over here (UK) organic also has animal welfare stipulations. Is it the same in the US?

Can you grow some stuff outside OP? You only need poo and washing up liquid then

leleti01

I buy organic produce not soo much for the pesticides, "organic is not 100% pesticide free" but more for the taste. Once you have cleaned your diet off processed foods your tastebuds are more sensitive to sugar, sodium etc... To me organic produce, meat just taste better! For the expense, we go meatless during the week and enjoy meat over the weekends.

ManiacalLaugh

leleti01 wrote: »

I buy organic produce not soo much for the pesticides, "organic is not 100% pesticide free" but more for the taste. Once you have cleaned your diet off processed foods your tastebuds are more sensitive to sugar, sodium etc... To me organic produce, meat just taste better! For the expense, we go meatless during the week and enjoy meat over the weekends.

Agreed with this. Organic food does typically come from a different farm as non-organic, so you get different results. Sometimes the organic food just looks better and in better shape. If this is the case, I'll spend a little more money and enjoy it.

Sometimes though, the opposite is true. It's kind of nice to have options, though.

midpath

my question is do you think the nutrients of fruits and vegetables are worthwhile despite the pesticides?

I'd say do what you can do. Cleaning up your diet a bit is never a bad thing but don't do it at the expense of livelihood.

So how did I not answer the question?

MexicanOsmosis

I'll just put this here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_IoNQHMFLk

lemurcat12

Furbuster wrote: »

over here (UK) organic also has animal welfare stipulations. Is it the same in the US?

No, they are separate issues here.

coreyreichle

leleti01 wrote: »

I buy organic produce not soo much for the pesticides, "organic is not 100% pesticide free" but more for the taste. Once you have cleaned your diet off processed foods your tastebuds are more sensitive to sugar, sodium etc... To me organic produce, meat just taste better! For the expense, we go meatless during the week and enjoy meat over the weekends.

Protip: Organic foods are processed foods too. Most every food you get it processed unless it came right off the vine/carcass.

jaga13

GroovyLord wrote: »

Like most, I get my food from a big chain super market, Stop & Shop. Lately I've been including a lot more fruits and vegetables in my diet. Generally non-organic. But I've been reading how pesticides are very bad and are found on 99% of produce.

For example leafy greens, apples, and strawberries. All staples of my diet there. I do take a multivitamin, my question is do you think the nutrients of fruits and vegetables are worthwhile despite the pesticides?

Also, organic produce is often not pesticide free either. It seems the more you learn about food the more it seems like nothing is completely good for you. Anyways, what do you think folks?

So you're asking which is better: eating fruits and vegetables with pesticides or eating NO fruit or vegetables?? I think the answer is obvious. What would you replace them with?? Because pretty much anything else you eat would at some level have SOME issue as well. Don't get all crazy about it. Fruit and veggies are always a win.