Peachy Clean?

Oh, the peaches! The nectarines! The lovely stone fruits! The peachy perfection- a rich, deep orange colour with just a hint of blush- just waiting to be devoured!

M is enticed and about to grab one from the mountain of fruit while I narrowly avoid an avalanche by veering the cart away from them . Hmmm...they aren't in the organic section. And they definitely aren't local. But they are from California...that must not be too bad? Is it?

I wasn't quite sure and I thought that this needed a little more investigation before I allow a conventional peach to pass through her lips. Am I paranoid?

Maybe, you say. Well, read on and see for yourself.

Did you know that peaches are one of the worst pesticide offenders out there? Maybe you should be looking at that glorious peach you hold in your hand with just a little more skepticism. A peach is no longer just a peach- along with that delicious flesh and fiber, you could be consuming up to nine different pesticides! I'm sure you didn't plan on that.

They actually top the list of the Environmental Working Group's DIRTY DOZEN Guide to the most pesticide-ridden fruits and vegetables that consumers regularly buy. (http://www.foodnews.org/walletguide.php) Those that follow are apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines and strawberries, as well as many other offenders.

Now, you're asking: why should I care?

You should care because your health and that of those you love and nourish is at risk. There have been numerous studies that show increasing links between health problems and pesticides. This is especially important when you consider those little ones (and those unborn!) in your household who are most vulnerable. Toddlers ingest more food and drink in relation to their body weight than adults. Their bodies and organs are still developing and the impact of pesticides on their little bodies at these times of increased growth is even greater. Not to mention the fact that pesticide residues build up in your body over time.

The U.S. National Research Council commissioned a 1993 report entitled, "Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and Children" and the findings are scary. Not only do they state that some pesticides can cause adverse effects on human health, including cancer, lung damage, reproductive dysfunction, and possibly dysfunction of the endocrine and immune systems. They also state that, "for certain chronic toxic effects such as cancer, exposures occurring early in life may pose greater risks than those occurring later in life". http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=2126&page=323

This doesn't sound like a risk that I should be willing to take with my children's health. So I am trying to do better now that I know better. There really are no acceptable levels of pesticides. Now it seems there are only acceptable levels of risk. How to lower this risk?

Before I was careful to wash my produce thoroughly. I thought this would remove most pesticide residues. Well, I found out that only removes traces of some pesticides. Peeling it? That might help remove even more pesticide residue but in the end, it also removes much of the fiber and nutrition that we need.

What can we do then?

Well, try to buy organic when you can, and focus especially the "Dirty Dozen". The Environmental Working Group has a handy dandy guide that you can print off and tuck into your purse or wallet for easy reference. If you do just replace these top offenders, you could reduce your pesticide exposure by up to 90 percent!

The EWG's website states that if you eat the 12 most contaminated fruits and veggies, you could be consuming up to 14 different pesticides per day. If you eat the 12 least contaminated fruits and veggies, you could be exposed to less than 2.

Get in the know! Check out the EWG's informative website so you can start making better buying decisions: http://www.foodnews.org/reduce.php and start telling others about it too. Not enough is known about this important health issue.

So, until I can get my hands on some clean (i.e. pesticide-free!) organic peaches then M has to suffer with whatever organic fruits come in our box this week or things at the bottom of the Dirty Dozen list, like pineapples, mangos and kiwis. But I don't hear her complaining as the mango juice runs down her contented face.