Pesticides

The EWG (Environmental Working Group) has just posted a New Dirty Dozen.  This is the produce you want to buy Organic.  Here’s why:

Produce – # Chemicals/Pesticides detected
CELERY – 64 chemicals
PEACHES – 62 pesticides
STRAWBERRIES – 59 pesticides
APPLES – 42 pesticides
BLUEBERRIES – 52 pesticides
NECTARINES – 33 pesticides
BELL PEPPERS – 49 pesticides
SPINACH – 48 pesticides
KALE – ?
CHERRIES – 42 pesticides
POTATOES – 37 pesticides
GRAPES (imported) – 34 pesticides

Lettuce was replaced by potatoes.  Do your best to buy the organic fruits and vegetables from this list, fresh or frozen. Or avoid them all together and buy other conventional produce. 

… for the health of your family,
ellen and sally

Peaches, Apples, Bell Peppers, Celery, Nectarines, Strawberries, Cherries, Kale, Lettuce, Grapes (imported), Carrots, Pears: The Dirty Dozen.  These are the fruits and vegetables you should by Organic.  Otherwise you will be feeding your family too many chemicals.  Sorry about this… it is a bummer. Fortunately, organic onions, apples, celery, lettuce, grapes raised in the US and carrots are easily found in your local grocery stores.  Do your best with the others.  Try to buy local. 

… for the health of your family,
ellen and sally

* Source: ewg.com
Thank you Chef Lynn for reminding us of this reality.

The CLEAN FIFTEEN are those fruit and vegetables you can buy conventionally without being concerned about the overuse of pesticides and other unwanted chemicals:  Onion, Avocado, Sweet Corn, Pinapple, Mango, Asparagus, Sweet Peas, Kiwi, Cabbage, Eggplant, Papaya, Watermelon, Broccoli, Tomato, Sweet Potato.  Save some money!  Thank you Chef Lynn for this tip.

… for the health of your family,
ellen and sally

* Source: www.ewg.org

Black pepper does not dissolve – not even ground black pepper. It sits in your stomach, can not be digested and thus creates real digestive problems. Plus black pepper is known to have some mold when imported, is heavily sprayed with chemicals, and it is irradiated.

Dr. Sally Byrd and Chef Jesse both agree that you should toss your black pepper and use cayenne instead. 

… for the health of your family,
ellen

Farm raised salmon are penned in crowded areas, fed prepared food and given antobiotics to try and prevent all of them from festering and spreading bacteria and other unwanted micro-organisms.  Prevention Magazine reports that salmon food includes soy, poultry litter and hydrolyzed chicken feathers.   ” As a result, farmed salmon is lower in vitamin D and higher in contaminants, including carcinogens, PCBs, brominated flame retardants and pesticides such as dioxin and DDT.”*  Need I say more? 

Please, only buy wild salmon, frozen or fresh.  Then you are loading up your family with nourishing nutrients, including major brain food!

… for the health of your family,
ellen

* Anne Underwood, “7 food that should NEVER CROSS your lips”, Prevention, Novemeber 2009, p. 82.