Tara’s Tuesday Tips:
First Tuesday Quick Tips
Fruits + vegetables are an essential and critical part of a healthy diet. Conventional or organic. My tips today help you navigate when eating organic really matters. Sometimes, the investment isn’t necessary.
Remember, pesticides are a toxic substance designed to kill pests/insects/living organisms. As these substances are applied to our foods to keep them fresh + bug-free, residual amounts of pesticides left on our produce can be very dangerous for us to eat. Cancers, hormone disruption, brain/nervous system toxicities are just a few of the dangers of consuming these pesticides. When we eat organically grown foods, our exposure to these toxins is limited.
Let’s be real … an all-organic diet is not possible, accessible, or affordable. Let’s sort through this so we can eat as many fruits + vegetables as we can as safely as we can!
When Eating Organic Really Matters:
SOY
Edamame, tofu, tempeh, miso paste = all soy = must always be organic. GMO, simply put, means something has been genetically modified to make it prettier, bigger, or taste better. This is great for farmers and food corporations. The farms can produce more food and therefore sell more food and make more money. Not so great for us. Thank you for the freaky chemically altered “food” item that tastes so weirdly wonderful. No thank you for the health, environmental, and allergy implications that “GMO” has imparted on us. Anyway, organic soy is not genetically modified. You need to be extra careful of non-organic soy “isolate” hidden in foods. For instance, veggie burgers, protein powders, and bars. Read your labels!
RICE
According to whatsonmyfood.org, the pesticide residue found on conventional rice has been found to contain 4 types of carcinogens, 10 hormone disruptors, 2 neurotoxins, 3 developmental or reproductive toxins, and detectable amounts of arsenic. Organic rice is grown using significantly less pesticides. If you have the choice, when eating rice is when eating organic really matters.
OATS
Not just the oats in your bowl of oatmeal. The oats in granola bars, granola, boxed cereals, baked goods, cookies, breakfast bars, and baby foods. This is controversial statement, however, I feel it is worth mentioning … conventional oats may have higher levels of glyphosate (better known as the main ingredient in the pesticide Roundup). When possible, eat organic oats, especially in children.
APPLES
The pesticides sprayed on apples adhere to the skin and can leak inside all the way to the core. That means that no amount of washing can wash away the pesticides sprayed on an apple. 6 types of carcinogens, 16 hormone disruptors, 5 neurotoxins, 6 developmental or reproductive toxins found on one apple (whatsonmyfood.org). When possible, organic apples are a priority in the MVF kitchen.
POTATOES
Potatoes are grown in the ground and require a very nutrient-rich soil. This nutrient-rich soil often comes along with lots of fertilizers + pesticides. With 6 types of carcinogens, 12 hormone disruptors, 7 neurotoxins, 6 developmental or reproductive toxins found on a potato (whatsonmyfood.org), sweet potatoes are a better option if you cannot find organic potatoes.
LEAFY GREENS
After being washed + scrubbed, leafy greens have been found to have a residual of over 94 different pesticides still on the greens. Leafy greens (kale, spinach, collard greens) are continuing to grow in popularity BUT when sampled, 60% were contaminated with the residue of DCPA (Dacthal) a possible human carcinogen. I will stick with organic leafy greens. Alternatively, if you can’t find fresh organic spinach, choose frozen! (Guide To Frozen Vegetables (Myths + Methods!)
BELL PEPPERS + HOT PEPPERS
Peppers win the award for the most residual pesticide found on any produce (EWG). Coming in at 115, this is one that really needs to be organic. Most concerning is the high level of chlorpyrifos found on the peppers (an insecticide found to be harmful to the developing brain of a child!).
GRAPES
One single grape can have up to 15 different pesticides on it. Ok, ummm, gross. Grapes ripen quickly leading them to attract more insects. Therefore, by spraying with lots of chemicals, they can keep looking perfect upon delivery to the grocery store. If you can’t find organic grapes year round, enjoy them only when in season and always wash them really well.
My Tips on Dairy + Eggs
Not completely plant-based? Curious about if you should be eating organic dairy or eggs? Check out my article, Guide To Buying Organic, where I include lots of information on dairy + eggs.
Food For Thought
- First, and most important, NEVER ever let your inability to buy organic stop you from eating fruits and vegetables. Conventional produce is better than no produce!
- Secondly, frozen organic is just as good as fresh organic. Check out my Guide To Frozen Vegetables (Myths + Methods!) to help you get started.
- Next, organic DOES NOT EQUAL healthy! Junk food is junk food is junk food. Just by slapping an ‘organic’ label on it DOES NOT make it healthy! You can find organic pies filled with oils + fats, organic cookies filled with sugars + dyes, organic chips deep fried in oil and sprinkled with many, many chemicals.
- Finally, legal does not mean safe. First of all, the government determines the ‘legal’ amounts of pesticides sprayed on crops. Secondly, this level is a tolerance level not a safety meter. Above all, if these levels were set to protect the people eating the produce, MANY fruits + vegetables would not meet the safety standards. Educate + protect yourself to ensure the safety of the food you feed yourself and your family!
Here Are Some Of My Other Favorite Tuesday Tips You Might Enjoy:
(click on any title, takes you right to the article 😊)
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