Articles by Donna DiMarco

We are all familiar with the dangers of pesticides in our foods.  Not only are they toxic to us, but many of these chemicals have shown up in the umbilical cord blood of  newborns.  That means the toxins are being passed on to the child before it even takes a breath.  Some people believe that the toxic exposure to the fetus may be one of the reasons for the rampant rise in autism and ADHD. 

Pesticide exposure puts us at risk of particular cancers.  The pesticides are similar in structure to hormones, especially estrogen; it is therefore linked to breast, prostate, uterus, and ovarian cancers.  They are called xenoestrogens and they wreak havoc on the body so they must be avoided as much as possible.

But in these economic times, many people are complaining that they can’t afford organic produce; we are all in the same boat.  Hopefully, this list put out by the Environmental Working Group may help you make better choices as to the pesticide exposure to the produce you purchase

Many people think that washing and peeling will help.
When the items in this list were tested it had  already been taken into account how people typically wash and prepare produce (for example, apples are washed before testing, bananas are peeled).  While washing and rinsing fresh produce may reduce levels of some pesticides, it does not eliminate them.  Peeling may reduce exposure, but it will also remove the valuable nutrients and fiber with the peels.  The best option is to eat a varied diet, wash all produce, and choose organic when possible to reduce exposure to potentially harmful chemicals.

How This Guide Was Developed

The produce ranking was developed by analysts at the not for profit Environmental Working Group (EWG) based on the results of nearly 87,000 tests for pesticides on produce collected by the US Department of Agriculture and the US Food and Drug Administration between 2000 and 2007.   Be sure to visit their sites at www.ewg.org.  and  www.foodnews.org

Keep in mind that this is only measuring the pesticide exposure. Many foods, like corn and soy are grown from genetically modified seeds that have weed killers placed within the genes of the plant so that the plant can withstand heavy chemical spraying.  The weeds will die but not the plants.  I avoid these also. 

Another thing is that organic produce is grown on nutrient rich soil, not depleted, over-worked soil with chemical fertilizers added, just enough to make the plants grow.  These nutrient deficiencies are reflected in the produce.  Just one more reason to buy organic if possible.

Be sure to choose from the bottom of the list; for example, conventional onions may not be as bad as conventional apples or peppers.  The last 15 items may be the safest to purchase, but if you want the items on the top 15, be sure to spend the money on the organic.  It isn’t worth the risk- your health is worth the extra money.

Stay Healthy!
Donna

RANK   FRUIT OR VEGGIE   SCORE

1.   (worst)  Peaches                       100 (highest pesticide load)
2.   Apples                                         93
3.   Sweet Bell Peppers                     83
4.   Celery                                         82
5.   Nectarines                                   81
6.   Strawberries                               80
7.   Cherries                                      73
8.   Kale                                            69
9.   Lettuce                                       67
10.   Grapes- Imported                     66    
11.   Carrots                                     63
12.   Pears                                        63
13.   Collard Greens                         60
14.   Spinach                                    58
15.   Potatoes                                  56
16.   Green Beans                           53
17.   Summer Squash                      53
18.   Hot Peppers                             51
19.   Cucumbers                             50
20.   Raspberries                            46
21.   Grapes – Domestic                 44
22.   Plums                                     44
23.   Oranges                                 44
24.   Cauliflower                             39
25.   Tangerine                              37
26.   Mushrooms                            36
27.   Bananas                                34
28.   Winter Squash                      34
29.   Cantaloupe                           33
30.   Cranberries                          33
31.   Honeydew Melon                  30
32.   Grapefruit                             29
33.   Sweet Potatoes                   29
34.   Tomatoes                             29
35.   Broccoli                                 28
36.   Watermelon                         26
37.   Papaya                                20
38.   Eggplant                              20
39.   Cabbage                              17
40.   Kiwi                                      13
41.   Sweet Peas-Frozen              10
42.   Asparagus                            10
43.   Mango                                   9
44.   Pineapple                              7
45.   Sweet Corn - Frozen             2
46.   Avocado                                 1
47. (best)  Onions                        1 (lowest pesticide load)

I was watching the DVD, Food Matters, with my class and something jumped out at me.  The statement was made twice that if we ate a 51% raw food diet we would not have digestive leukocytosis.  Digestive leukocytosis is a condition where the body responds to an improperly digested food as if it were a foreign invader.  The immune system becomes activated and the body reacts as to any other stressor; the white blood cells “beef up” to fight the invaders. Cortisol is produced to fight the inflammation response. This puts a strain on the immune and endocrine systems.  If consistently over-worked the immune system can get locked into an over kill mode where the body cannot distinguish self from non self; that’s an autoimmune disease.  In addition, if the cortisol requirements remain high from constant inflammation, the adrenals become exhausted and are not available when we really need them.  This is why some people develop a sensitivity to a food or environment that they were consistently exposed to but without ever having a reaction.  They tired adrenals can’t hold back the reaction any more so symptoms manifest.

Raw foods contain enzymes that help break down the food into more digestible nutrients, which are then used to nourish the body.  When we cook food we destroy the enzymes.  Here are some examples:
A green banana is not very sweet; the carbohydrates are not broken down into simple sugars.  As the banana ripens the fruit is sweeter.  That is the results of enzymes.  If you’ve ever made Jell-O with fruit added, you know that you must only use canned pineapple, not fresh.  This is because the fresh still has active enzymes that can breakdown the protein in the Jell-O so much that it doesn’t set.  The heat from canning the pineapple destroys the enzymes so that it has no affect on the Jell-O.  Well, this is a benefit when making Jello but not for health. 

In the same manner, cooking foods over 105 degrees destroys the enzymes in the food.  As we age, we produce fewer enzymes in our bodies so that these external sources of enzymes become essential.  In fact, without them, our nutrient intake is significantly diminished, and nutrient deficiency leads to illness. 

Consider how few people really try to eat enzyme-rich foods.  Not many!  Our diet is mostly cooked, processed, powdered, canned, concentrated, frozen, reconstituted and nutrient depleted.  Obesity and illness is still climbing and the United States is the most over-fed and under-nourished country in the world.  Healthcare costs are rising and our research dollars are mostly directed to drugs to stop the symptoms, rather than prevention of disease.  Eating more raw foods is a way to stay healthy so that the drugs (and their side effects) are not needed.

How do we eat 51% raw food diet?  We can all eat more salads; but not just one a day!  Some of my clients only think of salads as some sort of lettuce based dish with a dressing of sorts.  They are surprised to learn that  there are many other types of salads.  Think about fresh fruit salads.  I recently made a raw salad from beet, white and sweet potato, carrot and onion.  Think coleslaw; raw cabbage with mayo, vinegar and spices.  Get a book of Raw Food recipes.  You’ll be surprised at the variety and ease of preparation.

Think about dehydrated foods, which are available at health food stores or you can make yourself if you have a dehydrator.  How about fresh made vegetable juices? Canned and bottled juices are lacking enzymes and pasteurization insures enzyme deficiency. 

Think about dried fruits, nuts, seeds; you can make wonderful snacks from raw nut butters, seeds and carob- see my recipes tab on my home page!

You can make a wonderful chocolate ice cream (without dairy) from bananas, raw cocoa, dates and ice cubes.
How about a chocolate pudding made from a ripe avocado mixed with cocoa powder and stevia; coconut milk is a great addition to a raw food diet. 

Be creative.  Getting in more raw foods is easier than you can imagine.  I will add a link to some books I recommend. 

Until next time, stay healthy!
Donna