Strawberries
Apples
Nectarines
Peaches
Celery
Grapes
Cherries
Spinach
Tomatoes
Sweet bell peppers
Cherry tomates
Cucumbers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration (USDA) report that the strawberry is the most contaminated produce on grocery store shelves. It displaced the apple for the first time ever. I don't know about strawberries, but I do know around 98% of the pesticides delivered on fruit can be washed off using running water and a brush. The recommendation is to look for organic versions of the contaminated foods, but that only reduces the poison an does not eliminate it. Cleaning produce before you prepare it seems to be the best solution.
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/04/2 ... oduce.html
The Dirty Dozen
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Icey
Re: The Dirty Dozen
It doesn't surprise me to read about strawberries being amongst the most contaminated fruit. When I was at school, we were told to wash all fruit before eating it. Even organic fruit and veg doesn't escape having been sprayed, but because the pesticides've been approved by the Soil Association and don't contain as many of the harmful chemicals which're used on the mass-produced stuff, it's much safer for us.
Soft fleshy fruits such as strawberries, absorb more of the poisons through their thin skins, and as another example, potatoes should be peeled quite thickly because the pesticides not only penetrate the outer skins but go into the flesh itself.
The safest fruit and veg come from those grown at home, not using any chemical sprays or fertilizers, but they should still be washed before eating anyway.
Soft fleshy fruits such as strawberries, absorb more of the poisons through their thin skins, and as another example, potatoes should be peeled quite thickly because the pesticides not only penetrate the outer skins but go into the flesh itself.
The safest fruit and veg come from those grown at home, not using any chemical sprays or fertilizers, but they should still be washed before eating anyway.
Re: The Dirty Dozen
I think the surprise here is that strawberries replaced apples which dominated the top spot on the list for many many years. The reasoning is that strawberries no longer are a seasonal food. They can be had any time of the year and farmers are forcing them to grow by using more toxic chemicals than before. As far as how to cleanse your produce goes, the guidelines are the same as they always has been. I'm also not sure this list applies to European grown produce. The report was issued by an American watchdog agency.
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Icey
Re: The Dirty Dozen
Sprayed apples sold in the UK account for something like having a 98% toxicity. Strawberries, blueberries, plums and so on aren't far behind. It makes me shudder, but, I read that in Germany, 35 people died from eating organic fruit which was contaminated. Whether this was from E. coli or the sprays which were used, I don't know, but it shows how careful you have to be.
Most fruit that I buy isn't generally grown or sold in the UK - like bananas. I buy organic ones, and hope that the fairly thick skins protects them a bit - but you can never be sure, can you?
Most fruit that I buy isn't generally grown or sold in the UK - like bananas. I buy organic ones, and hope that the fairly thick skins protects them a bit - but you can never be sure, can you?
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Icey
Re: The Dirty Dozen
Plenty, but you have to know what you're looking for. That list's comprehensive and scary, but it doesn't surprise me - apart from bananas being reasonably toxic. Oh well, I only buy the organic ones, and I'll hope for the best. : (
If you grow your own stuff, don't spray it, and wash it before eating, you can't do much better than that. I try and get organic everything, but even within that range, some're better than others. I've found a fabulous flour. It comes from crops grown by the makers of it - organic, no GM anything, unbleached and even sold in organically-sourced packaging. It's more expensive than the usual stuff, but who cares? I want my family to be as healthy as possible.
It's IMpossible to escape everything though. I now get organic tea which's in unbleached bags, and've found a place which sells organic milk in glass bottles again, as opposed to plastic or cartons. Some people don't care enough about what they eat to go into detail with the checking. That's up to them, but I honestly try my best to get good stuff and believe that my efforts're worth it.
If you grow your own stuff, don't spray it, and wash it before eating, you can't do much better than that. I try and get organic everything, but even within that range, some're better than others. I've found a fabulous flour. It comes from crops grown by the makers of it - organic, no GM anything, unbleached and even sold in organically-sourced packaging. It's more expensive than the usual stuff, but who cares? I want my family to be as healthy as possible.
It's IMpossible to escape everything though. I now get organic tea which's in unbleached bags, and've found a place which sells organic milk in glass bottles again, as opposed to plastic or cartons. Some people don't care enough about what they eat to go into detail with the checking. That's up to them, but I honestly try my best to get good stuff and believe that my efforts're worth it.