Protecting Little Bodies from the Poisons of Conventionally-Grown Foods

You and your children may be ingesting up to 70 types of pesticide residues every single day, according to a report released by the Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA). These residues are classed in a group of toxic chemicals known as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and could potentially harm the health of you and your family. Buying organic food may help.

Exposure to persistent organic pollutants has been linked to several serious human health conditions, including certain cancers, suppression of the immune system, disruption of nervous and hormonal systems, and reproductive system damage. The highest exposures in our country are experienced by those living in the Southeast, with the lowest exposures in the Midwest of the country.

Although the use of chemicals that lead to these residues have been widely banned in many countries, including America, they have not been properly controlled in other countries, many of which provide the US with fresh produce. We are exposed to these chemicals when we eat food produced in other countries and through waterways and precipitation as POPs are carried around the globe through the natural water cycle.

But lest you think Americans are free of chemicals pesticides that can harm our health, think again. American crops are exposed to over 500 kinds of pesticides equal to greater than 50,000 tons annually. And the big shocker is that little more than one percent of these chemicals actually reach their intended targets! The rest gets washed away into the environment where they permeate our soil and water.

Exposure to pesticides and POPs is of particular concern for parents with young children. Children have higher metabolisms and lower body weights than adults, making them more susceptible to the effects of pesticide exposure. In fact, there are over 300,000 cases of pesticide poisoning in the US every year. Some studies suggest that pesticides can contribute to the incidence of Parkinson’s and Lou Gehrig’s diseases, too.

Beware! The fruits, veggies, and other foods with the highest levels of pesticides are:

• Summer squash
• Cantaloupe
• Radishes
• Spinach
• Winter squash
• Cucumbers
• Butter
• Meatloaf
• Peanuts

Although buying organic food won’t be a sure-fire way of avoiding pesticides and POPs (virtually all foods are contaminated with POPs according to PANNA), it can go a long way to reducing your exposure. More importantly, it will signal to the government and the agriculture industry that you don’t support the use of conventional farming methods. Consumer choices speak volumes, so make yourself heard!

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Organic Foods have Higher Nutrient Values

The fruits and vegetables eaten by your parents and grandparents may have been healthier than the stuff you can buy at the grocery store today. Once again, it proves that eating organic food it not only good for the planet, it’s better for our bodies as well.

In a research study conducted at the Biochemical Institute at the University of Texas, Donald R. Davis uncovered some startling statistics when comparing produce analyzed in 1950 and similar produce analyzed in 1999 by the USDA. Here are the results:

• Lower nutrient quantity: Out of the 13 nutrients analyzed, six had declined over the 50 year period studied.
• Lower mineral quantity: Likewise, when three minerals were examined—iron, calcium, and phosphorous—they were found to be 9% to 16% lower in 1999 than in 1950.
• Lower protein quantity: Virtually all plant-based foods have some protein component, and those grown today are 6% lower on the scale.

In addition to these declines, produce in the 1950s was also higher in things like riboflavin and ascorbic acid (a precursor to vitamin C) by about 15%!

Studies like this have been repeated in other parts of the world, confirming what American scientists have found. This can be attributed to several factors, most of them dealing with big farm methods of growing fruits and vegetables.

For instance, in an effort to grow food larger and more quickly, conventional farmers heap on water and chemical fertilizers, but this can interfere with a plant’s ability to take up and create vitamins and minerals. It also reduces the nutrient density available to plants, which in turn reduces the nutrient value of these foods.

By contrast, organic farming doesn’t use these intensive chemicals, but rather organic matter to boost soil’s growing ability. By cultivating biologically living soil in which microorganisms can thrive, organic farming helps plants in their uptake of nutrients, which are then infused into our produce.

Our bodies require certain vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to fight off infections, maintain healthy bones and muscles, and for mental and emotional wellbeing. So if you want to prevent disease and experience true vitality that enables you to enjoy being active for longer, choose organic foods. Freshly-grown organic fruits and vegetables available from a local farmer’s market, your everyday grocery store, or your own backyard, is a superior way to get your daily dose of macro and micronutrients necessary for a healthy body. Choosing organic food recipes is an excellent way to enjoy these delicious, seasonal organic foods!

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