Wash your fruits and vegetables!

CalorieNinja

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) studied 100,000 produce pesticide reports from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and the U.S. Food & Drug Administration to find out how dirty your fruits and vegetables are.

10. Cherries (they have a thin skin and can't be protected from pesticides) U.S. Cherries had 3 times more pesticide than imported or organic ones.

9. Potatoes: the skins that were reported had 36 different chemicals in them... I don't think I will be eating the peel anymore

8. Grapes - again thin skin

7. Spinach, Kale & Collard Greens: These had 45 different pesticides on them

6. Sweet Bell Pepper: Crunchy but have a thin skin - these had 57 different pesticides in them

5. Blueberries: with such a thin layer the actual fruit can be contaminated with pesticide.

4. Apples: these are fruit that need a lot of maintenance to keep disease away from them - with that said there was 47 pesticides and even after washing them it did not take all the residue off of them.

3. Strawberries: 57 different pesticides in them

2. Peaches: 67 different pesticides; since they are sprayed frequently because they are susceptible to disease

1. Celery: Contained as many as 67 pesticides, they have no protective skin on them at all...

Okay so, I am not one to normally eat organic. I saw it as a "waste" of money but I am beginning to see that I should buy organic at least on these fruits and vegetables because I got rather disgusted thinking about all the chemicals I am eating and feeding to my family. It may be more expensive, but I think I will spend that extra money!

*This list was taken from Yahoo! News*

LeeKetty1176

going to see if its the same over here

VialOfDreams

You listed pretty much the top fruit and veggies you should buy organic. Fruit and veggies that you peel are okay if they're conventional, but the ones you mentioned should be organic. (Though thanks to the high prices, this might not always be a possibility.)

I buy a lot of organic stuff, but I still wash them before eating. Just to be safe.

Limeinthecoconut

I always grumble when I have to peel potatoes... now I've definitely changed my tune!

CalorieNinja

I just realized I probably did mis-label the thread... oops oh well its good advice to always wash your fruits and vegetables no matter where they come from.

soysos

personally I'd rather take my chances with pesticides than malaria.

CalorieNinja

@soysos
I see your in the United States so your risk factor for contracting malaria are slim now if you were going to a third world country for a visit I too would definitely take pesticides over malaria but that's a different topic all together lol.

carolinegeorgia

eww I love blueberries, will make sure I buy organic from now ;-)

Purplebunnysarah

The problem with organic fruit is that unless it is irrigated with treated drinking water there is a decent chance the pesticides are in the water itself. A lot of groundwater tables are contaminated with various pesticides. Drinking water is generally safe as pesticide levels are one of the things monitored on a weekly or monthly basis in the water supply and the levels are generally at least 1000x lower than the highest legally allowed. (I work in the enviro testing field so I'm speaking from direct experience, not from any studies... just what I have seen over the past 5 years of doing my job.)

Grokette

The problem with organic fruit is that unless it is irrigated with treated drinking water there is a decent chance the pesticides are in the water itself. A lot of groundwater tables are contaminated with various pesticides. Drinking water is generally safe as pesticide levels are one of the things monitored on a weekly or monthly basis in the water supply and the levels are generally at least 1000x lower than the highest legally allowed. (I work in the enviro testing field so I'm speaking from direct experience, not from any studies... just what I have seen over the past 5 years of doing my job.)

You are so correct and what makes it so bad is the fact that government is letting companies like Monsanto take over so it is only going to get worse.

Sometimes I think it is better to purchase imported fruits and veggies over the ones grown in the US for this issue alone.

LuckyLeprechaun

:noway:

how will we all survive?

won't someone please think of the children?






better life through chemistry folks