I recently was looking on the web for info about
organic foods and
recipes for my kids. I came across an article that discusses the
dangers of pesticides and how they can adversely affect people, especially during periods of
fetal development and
childhood when exposures can have long lasting effects. The
Environmental Working Group (EWG) tested for
pesticides on
fruits and
vegetables collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Some of the produce with the
highest pesticide loads included peaches, apples, and sweet bell peppers. Among those with the l
owest pesticide loads were onions, avocados and sweet corn. For produce with
high pesticide loads, the
EWG recommends buying organic, which certainly seems to make sense. To read more about this study and to see what other types of produce made the highest and lowest pesticide load lists, go to
www.foodnews.org for a free printable
“Shoppers Guide to Pesticides in Produce”.
