Choose Organic Food to Avoid Pesticides

We’re all good shoppers nowadays. We’ve educated ourselves on how to choose foods that are low in fat, high in fiber, and low in sugar. Those types of things are on every label and you can read about them before you eat them. But what you’ll never see on a label is information about pesticides. There’s no way to know what chemicals have been used unless you purchase certified organic foods.

Pesticides are universally used by farmers to kill the bad insects that cause crop damage. It’s very common for them to spray or dust several times during the growth cycle. Plants can absorb small amounts of them but mostly the chemicals will remain on the skins or peels.

Why should we care about pesticides?

Little is know about how pesticides affect fetal development and young children who are growing rapidly. There is an increasing concern about how they affect everyone in general. The long lasting effects are not well understood or even studied. So for now, it’s a good idea to avoid them as much as you can.

When you get your produce home, be sure to wash it. There are special sprays you can buy  - like ‘Veggie Wash’ - to help remove the waxes that are often used as coatings - especially on apples. You don’t know what’s on your produce or who’s been handling it before it made it to your kitchen.

You can reduce exposure to pesticides by washing and peeling but that doesn’t entirely remove all risk. Whenever possible, purchase organic foods. They may cost a bit more, but the health benefits will more than make up for it. Get used to a chewed lettuce leaf here and there and a few funny looking spots on your fruits and veggies. That’s a good indication that no pesticides were used and your food is organic.