Pesticides

Twenty seconds with a little soap and water can reduce your family's chances of becoming sick from food.  "Consider it (food) contaminated when you bring it in the house." *  According to a survey by the International Food Information Council, fewer people are washing their hands before handling food at home.  Prevention is so simple.  Washing the food and handling it with care is also important.  But at least wash your hands!

… for the health of your family,
ellen

*Nancy Donley, President of Stop Foodborne Illness

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  SWEET CORN, #2

NEW updated "CLEAN 15" list of fruits and vegetables with the lowest amount of pesticides:

Onions, Sweet Corn, Pineapples, Avocado, Asparagus, Sweet Peas, Mangoes, Eggplant, Cantaloupe (domestic), Kiwi, Cabbage, Watermelon, Sweet Potatoes, Grapefruit, Mushrooms.* 

These you can buy locally or in your stores and feel comfortable feeding them to your family.  No need to buy organic.  The key is their skins are thicker, protecting them from absorption.  Of these, you'll probably need to make an extra effort to learn how to cook delicious asparagus and eggplant. Young thin asparagus are more tender and less bitter.  Lightly steam them, chop into less than one inch cuttings, serve with sauteed garlic, lemon juice and sea salt.  Eggplant parmesan was a big hit with the Kid Kritics.  Find that recipe on www.KidKritics.com. Eat Clean!

… for the health of your family,
ellen  

Want to Win a Case of Chocolate Energy Bars by Greens+?  They're Kid Kritics Approved.  Value : $430.00.  Go to www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes now!

* Source: Environmental Working Group.  Download your own guide: http://static.ewg.org/reports/2011/foodnews/pdf/2011EWGPesticideGuide.pdf

  Organic Strawberries!

The Dirty Dozen – fruits and vegetables are known to have too many pesticides: Apples, Celery, Cherries, Grapes (imported) , Lettuce, Nectarines, Peaches, Pears, Potatoes, Spinach, Strawberries, Sweet bell peppers. Notice, they all have thin skins so they more prone to absorbing unwanted chemicals.  You have to decide how important the health of your family is to you when you are buying any of these fresh foods.  Organic spinach, celery, lettuce, and apples are more reasonably priced and can be found easily in the stores.  Berries are so tempting.  Do your best.  Buy organic, or buy local, or buy from your grocery store and eat fewer less frequently. Pay a little more now or a lot more later for illnesses related to pesticides and other sprayed chemicals not meant for human consumption. Better food choices provides you with long term inexpensive health insurance!

…  for the health of your family,
ellen and sally

Asparagus, Avocado, Cabbage, Cantaloupe, Eggplant, Frozen sweet corn, Frozen sweet peas, Kiwi, Mango, Onions, Pineapple, Watermelon are the 12 foods you can safely enjoy as the most pesticide-free conventionally grown produce.  Save your health and money by eating them often!

… for the health of your family,
ellen and sally

Don’t forget to enter our Kid Kritics Approved Food Giveaway Sweepstakes: www.KidKritics.com/sweepstakes!

A report estimates “50% to 90%  of presumed allergies aren’t, in fact, allergies.”*  This article points out that frequently used singular diagnosis practices such as skin and blood tests administered by doctors are not soley reliable.  What is really needed is the complete picture provided by taking family history and a medically supervised food challenges.   There are so many variables that is is necessary to be thorough when evaluating food reactions. Here are the eight most common foods with the percentage of Americans who are allergic: FISH: 0.3%-0.6%. SOY: 0.2%-0.7%. PEANUTS: 0.6%-0.75%. TREE NUTS: 0.1%-0.45%. MILK: 0.9%-3%. SHELLFISH: 0.6%-1.2%. WHEAT: 0.2%-2%. EGGS: 0.3%-1%.*  Bet you expected these numbers to be higher. 

Double check your allergy reports. Reactions may be related to other medical conditions.  Some may be related to the chemicals used when growing or raising these foods.  This issue offers a good reason to chose organic.  Artificial ingredients such as dyes are serious bodily rejection culprits.  When addressing allergies, make sure you have covered all the bases, including serving the best possible foods at home.

… for the health of your family,
ellen and sally

*”New Rules for Food Allergies,” Melinda Beck, Wall Street Journal, 12/7/2010, pp. D1, D4.