Top 12 fruits and veggies with pesticides: Sometimes washing and peeling is not enough
There has been yet another conversation brought into the mix about the benefits of buying
Studies show children with ADD and ADHD have much higher levels of pesticides than children who do not. And though my children do not have this condition, the information I've learned has got me wanting to find ways to pay the extra charge to keep my family as pesticide-free as I can.
I was under the impression that as long as I washed fruits and vegetables well, the pesticides would be gone. Not so.
There are a couple of lists on the Web and elsewhere that itemize the most contaminated fruits and vegetables when it comes to pesticides. The pesticide levels were taken after washing and peeling. The recommendation is to stay away from the top 12, and you'll limit your pesticide intake by 80 percent. Well, the top 12 are all of the typical, kid-friendly fruits and veggies that my kids love. My youngest will sometimes eat two apples a day, at the very least he eats one per day.
I'm sure there are many parents who already have this information. I am hoping, however, that if there are more out there like myself, who really believe they are doing the best for their children by washing and/or peeling their fruits and veggies, that this will be informative and useful information.
April Scarlett is a freelance writer. Find her work at www.fromherdesk.com, www.successfulwomenweekly.com, www.aprilscarlettwrites.blogspot.com, www.aprilscarlettmotherboard.blogspot.com, www.positivelyaprilscarlett.blogspot.com, and on Facebook search ASW-April Scarlett Writes and on Twitter @ajscarlett
Comments
casmom
Mon, Jul 5, 2010 : 6:03 p.m.
Alphaalpha...I have no car lease,fancy anything,home cleaning service(I wish)membership to anything. I am just a normal mom with a husband who was unfortunate enough to loose his job. I am raising my family on un-organic fruits and veggies and lots of them. I can not cut expenses because we live on only what we need. I can tell you what I do not need...to feel guilty for buying the best I can afford for my family. I am far from alone. Wake up!
casmom
Mon, Jul 5, 2010 : 5:46 p.m.
The financial arguement does not fly? a2phiggy...it is obvious that you have never tried too buy groceries for a family 3 on a $30/week budget.This is a reality that I hope you will never understand.
AlphaAlpha
Sat, Jul 3, 2010 : 8:41 p.m.
"What do people do when their paychecks don't last until the end of the week and the groceries are gone?" Show us a real life example, and we'll show you how they can. Deal? It generally involves avoiding (higher priced) factory-produced food, and it means making choices like avoiding lottery tickets, overpriced clothing, leased vehicles, premium cable, home cleaning service, various memberships, electronic toys, etc., etc., ad nauseum. It means deleting the wants, and adding the needs. Pesticides = neurotoxins.
silverwings
Sat, Jul 3, 2010 : 7:13 p.m.
Wouldn't this have been a stronger article if you had asked a government regulator for comment? The county extension service was a phone call away. Certainly these issues are worthy of concern, but an article that spreads fear without any attempt at balance is a disservice to your readers.
roadsidedinerlover
Sat, Jul 3, 2010 : 6:11 p.m.
Thank you April for this article. I try to eat organic and I have found organic vegetables at meijer on sale. I bought some last night in fact. I got organic carrots, broccoli...the broccoli was $2.49 and the carrots were $1.50. Meijer doesnt have a large selection but they do have good prices/deals. Arbor Farms has good organic fruit and vegetables and sometimes they are cheaper. But then isn't the health of your family worth the higher prices?
April Scarlett
Sat, Jul 3, 2010 : 4:29 p.m.
Great comments both, thanks! I agree it is absolutely a priority to reduce all risks. Pests or mold in the home may be a one time expense, while organic, fresh food is a daily need. For some people mold or pests might take saving up for a week or two to afford the solution. What do people do when their paychecks don't last until the end of the week and the groceries are gone? With numbers at food banks sky-rocketing, it is not hard for me to believe that not everyone can afford organic foods on a daily basis.
a2phiggy
Sat, Jul 3, 2010 : 3:37 p.m.
Sorry, but the financial argument does not fly - this is a daily, toxic exposure to you & your children. If there was something dangerous in your home--pests, mold, etc.--you would not cite financial issues for doing 'less-than' anything to eradicate it.