Avoid Pesticide Residues on Fruits & Veggies
- Organic
-
My lunch today included a big ol’ bowl of my front lawn. Well, not really – but in the past, I’m pretty famous for saying I wouldn’t eat a salad that looked like weeds pulled from my front lawn. (My mom is proud, I’m sure!)
In this week’s Peapod grocery delivery, I had them bring me a box of Earthbound Farm Organic Spring Mix for my salads. Instead of just plain ol’ iceberg lettuce, I’m now eating arugula, frisee, green chard, green oak, green romaine, lollo rosa, mizuna, radicchio, red chard, red oak, red romaine, and tango (half of which I’ve never even heard of!) One serving provides 130% of the day’s Vitamin A requirement and 50% of my Vitamin C, amongst other things. Not bad!! It’s fresh, it tastes great, and even the container makes me feel good – it was made from recycled plastic bottles.I decided to check out Earthbound Farm’s web site, where I found a free downloadable pocket guide to Choosing Organic fruits and veggies. This brings me to the point of today’s post.
I’ve been pretty lucky to find so many options for buying organic produce in my area, with both Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods Market a short drive away, and Peapod carrying a full line of organics. It’s not always possible to find organic versions of all of the fruits and veggies that you may want to eat, though. In those cases, try to focus on getting organic varieties of the fruits and veggies that are most likely to be covered in multiple pesticide residues in their traditional forms.
A trick to remembering which ones are OK to buy and eat as traditional non-organics, if you must: if it has a skin that you do NOT eat, the inner fruit or flesh is likely protected from pesticide residues.
However, if you eat the skin – chances are, it’s carrying pesticide residues. So, try to buy these fruits and veggies organic whenever possible:
- Apples
- Pears
- Grapes
- Peaches
- Nectarines
- Cherries
- Strawberries
- Celery
- Bell peppers
- Carrots
- Kale
- Lettuce
That way, you’ll avoid eating those pesticides! Do you really want to be eating chemical and biological agents designed to kill living things? I don’t!
Source: Earthbound Farm Pocket Guide to Choosing Organic
{Posted: January 30, 2010 at 1:07 pm}
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Hi Shelly:
Off topic, but are you doing any reading related to your lifestyle change?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/jan/31/food-industry-environment
If you haven’t read the Omnivore’s Dilemna, it’s worth it. Several other titles worth checking out if too if you’re interested and have the time.
Checking out that link now! Yeah, I’ve been devouring books and movies. The two books I’ve most enjoyed thus far were Pollen’s In Defense of Food (I think it’s the one he wrote after Omnivore’s Dilemma – gotta go back and read that one), and Marion Nestle’s What to Eat. Marion’s got a new monthly column in the SF Chronicle that I’m looking forward to. I’m open to suggestions!! Reading like a fiend
Thanks!!
Loved the interview! Food, Inc. is what started all of this for me… when the earth thaws around here, one of my 2010 goals is to get out and find some local farmer’s markets and talk to these people and see what I can do about eating more locally. Heck, my subdivision where I live is plopped right in the middle of a bunch of farm plots. There’s got to be some food around here!
Currently working my way through Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. Recommended if you haven’t already read it. http://bit.ly/c4YWwQ
I’m slowly starting to find local sources for stuff but sure could be easier!
Just started Animal, Vegetable, Miracle – I’m about a quarter way through it and can’t put it down! I love Kingsolver’s storytelling style, and there’s certainly a lot to think about through this book. Thanks for the recommendation!