Getting Results
When to go Organic
Is it really necessary to eat organic foods? Are they really better?
Yes.
Organic foods, especially when paired with responsible and/or biodynamic farming methods can be more nutritious, more flavourful and healthier than chemically grown, intensively farmed produce.
Chemical residues, both in and on our foods, are the real concern - they are present in/on all foods in varying levels, and unfortunately also in/on some organic produce (although not frequently and in far lesser amounts). The full, or long-term, effects of chemical load on our bodies is a topic for which there are still no definitive answers from scientific research. Some chemicals have been shown repeatedly to be neurotoxins or carcinogens. Some chemicals are shown to be non-harmful in very small amounts, but as we consume many chemical residues from a variety of produce over time, it is not possible to determine the overall levels ingested.
Research is ongoing and arguments abound between concerned consumers, farmers and corporations selling pesticides and herbicides.
To add to complications, chemical residue levels vary from product to product and country to country. Regulatory laws around usage and residual levels of chemicals are different across countries, as are levels of adherence to regulations.
If money was in endless supply then it would be great to eat all organic, locally produced foods. This, however, is not reality and we need to make choices of food purchases which fit within our shopping budgets.
So, with this in mind, here is a list of non-organic, regular fresh foods (fruit & veg) that have been recorded as having the highest levels of chemical residues. This list is updated annually by the Environmental Working Group, and availabe from www.ewg.org/shoppersguide. In addition to this, chemicals can be stored within fat cells, so keep awareness with the quality of fat based produce such as dairy based foods, plant oils, nuts and seeds. For indepth information on this subject, see www.ewg.org
This is not a complete or concise list, as things start to get a bit complicated...for example, mango's are generally OK but previously, Mango from Thailand had very high residue. Limes are generally OK, but from some from Brazil were not....and on it goes. Hence this list contains the worst produce for chemical load from multiple suppliers worldwide.
Fruits
- Apples
- Strawberries
- Peaches
- Nectarines
- Apricots
- Grapes
- Blueberries
- Pears
- Cherries
- Figs
Vegetables
- Okra
- Celery
- Lettuce and salad greens
- Kale
- Brussell sprouts
- Leeks
- Vine leaves
- Peppers
- Cucumbers
- Courgette
- Cherry tomatoes
- Sugarsnap peas
- Herbs (especially coriander, dill, mint, basil)
- Spinach
- Potatoes
- Green beans
Other
- Soya beans
- Oats
- Barley
- Sunflower seeds
- Milk
If you are suffering from a health condition which is linked to, or aggravated by chemical intake, then it is advisable for you to reduce consumption of non-organic produce as much as possible.
Please note, you should check lables carefully for Country of Origin for organic foods also, and keep up to date on information and news regarding regulatory adherence around the world.
MindBody Nutrition,
Oranmore, Co. Galway.
Telephone: 087 9705151
Email: info@mindbodynutrition.ie