Are Pesticides Really Peopleicides?

I don’t remember when I first heard of organic food—certainly, it was many years ago—but the idea instantly resonated with me. Exposing ourselves to harmful chemicals designed to kill isn’t exactly appetizing.

Back then, organic fruits and vegetables weren’t just hard to find, they were expensive. Now, they are in almost every grocery store and often quite affordable (if you’re a bargain shopper like me, you know just where to go to get the best deals; I often pay less for organic food than the conventional counterparts).

So, why go organic?

A. It’s Healthy. By eating organic fruits and vegetables, you’ll limit your exposure to pesticides by as much as 90 percent; these toxins attack your immune, nervous, and reproductive systems and are especially bad for fetuses, young children, and the elderly.

B. It’s Really Healthy. Four years ago, a research associate with the Biochemical Institute at the University of Texas, Austin, published analysis of data collected by the USDA in 1950 and 1999 on the levels of 13 nutrients in more than 40 food crops. The results: after the addition of pesticides and breeding techniques (for oh-so-important criteria like rapid growth and storage life) the protein in the conventional crops declined by six percent; phosphorous, iron, and calcium declined between nine percent and 16 percent; ascorbic acid declined 15 percent; and riboflavin declined 38 percent. In organic crops, those nutrients are still there!

C. It Just Tastes (& Looks) Better. This weekend, Mark and I bought local, organic apples and I wish I could share our bounty with you. The fruit is crisp, sweet, and firm . . . and it isn’t shiny from wax and other add-ons.

So which fruits and vegetables are the most contaminated? The Environmental Working Group's “Dirty Dozen” list answers that question. These are the 12 most popular fruits and vegetables that have the highest levels of toxic pesticides:

1.Peaches: Over 94 percent tested positive for traces of 45 different pesticides.
2.Celery: 94 percent tested positive for 29 different pesticides.
3.Apples: 92 percent tested positive for 36 pesticides.
4. Sweet Bell Peppers: 68 percent tested positive for 39 different pesticides.
5.Cherries: 91 percent tested positive for 25 different pesticides.
6.Imported Grapes: 86 percent tested positive for 35 different pesticides.
7.Nectarines: 97 percent tested positive for 26 different pesticides.
8.Pears: 94 percent tested positive for 35 different pesticides.
9.Potatoes: 79 percent tested positive for 29 different pesticides.
10.Raspberries: 59 percent tested positive for 39 different pesticides.
11.Spinach: 83 percent tested positive for 36 different pesticides.
12.Strawberries: 90 percent tested positive for 36 different pesticides.

92 percent of conventional apples tested positive for 36 pesticides! With that in mind, I’d like to amend the old adage: an organic apple a day keeps the doctor away.

Question of the blog: Do you think pesticides are peopleicides?