While you may think that you are helping your family stay healthy by opting for fresh foods, these foods may actually be more harmful than they are good for you. Produce is often grown with the use of pesticides. These chemicals are designed to kill pests and not only sensically pose a danger to you and your family, but are scientifically proven to. By identifying foods that are most commonly grown with high levels of pesticides, you can avoid having to resort to these conventionally-grown options. Here are the 12 foods that are infamous for testing positive for large amounts of pesticides.
• Apples
There is nothing like plucking a fresh apple from the tree and taking a bite, but these fruits have tested positive for over 30 different known pesticides! Farmers may spray apple trees with pesticides as many as 10 times during the growing process, making 99% of apples test positive for at least one pesticide residue.
• Strawberries
These delicious fruits are packed with pesticides. Conventionally-grown strawberries are susceptible to fungus, so to prevent fungus growth they can contain as many as 65 different pesticides. These fruits are grown with chemical fertilizers that are designed not only to kill fungus but also eliminate hormone disruptors, carcinogens, neurotoxins and more.
• Blueberries
Testing positive for more than 50 pesticides, the thin layer of skin on blueberries allows chemicals to easily contaminate the fruit. Even though the antioxidants in blueberries are excellent for your family’s health, a single sample tested positive for 13 pesticides! The multitude of pesticides are linked to an array of human health hazards, such as cancer, hormonal issues, neurological disorders and more.
• Lettuce
The worst chemicals used on lettuce include fungicides, carcinogens and neurotoxins. The delicate nature of lettuce makes it more susceptible to decay and fungus, so toxic chemicals are often sprayed on the vegetable to inhibit mold growth. Lettuce typically tests positive for 50 chemicals – so always make sure you wash the lettuce you bring home!
• Peaches
The sweetness of peaches attracts a wide variety of pests, so conventional farmers offset this issue by using toxic chemicals. Endosulfan, a potent pesticide that has been linked to birth defects, is the most commonly used pesticide for peaches. Peaches contain more than 60 pesticides, so they must be washed completely before you give them to your family.
• Hot Peppers
Hot peppers are of special concern for public health because they have been found laced with particularly toxic pesticides including organophosphate and carbamate insecticides. These are chemicals that are no longer widely detected on other produce, either because of legal restrictions or voluntary phase-outs. If you can’t buy organic hot peppers, cooking them will typically diminish pesticide levels as well.
• Tomatoes
Tomatoes, particularly cherry tomatoes, are susceptible to about 30 different diseases, so growers use pesticides as an easy way to protect these plants. Because their protective layer of skin is so thin, tomatoes test positive for over 60 different pesticides that can danger your family’s health.
• Bell Peppers
Peppers are sprayed with a combination of up to 50 different pesticides. Farmers often use methyl bromide during the growing process to protect their crop. A potent paraquat is often used on peppers, and this type of pesticide is more toxic than others. No matter the color of bell pepper, this fruit always has a high pesticide residue.
• Cucumbers
Cucumbers are one of the dirtiest foods on our list! With as many as 35 different pesticides remaining in the skin after you wash, your best bet is to peel the skin off to reduce your chances of ingesting them. No matter if treated by farmers or grown completely organically, cucumbers easily soak up pesticides that can harm your family.
• Spinach
Since aphids love spinach, farmers are forced to go to extreme lengths to protect their crop. Spinach tests positive for nearly 50 different pesticides, such as organophosphates, hormone disruptors and more. These chemicals are known as potential carcinogens in humans and can have serious impacts on your family’s health.
• Celery
The problem with celery is that it takes in so much water through its roots. This means that toxic chemicals found in the soil are sucked up by the plant and distributed throughout the edible portion. Over 80 percent of celery that is sold in stores contains pesticide residue and contain 13 different pesticides per stalk!
• Potatoes
While potatoes are America’s favorite vegetable, over 35 pesticides have been detected in potatoes by the USDA. That is partly due to the fact that a chemical treatment is used in potato fields before eyes are planted. Farmers also use pesticides on the first sprouts that crop up to prevent pests from eating potato plants before they grow.
No matter how vigorously you wash your foods or how strictly you buy organic products, it is still a challenge to make sure your family is eating pesticide-free food. By using the OrganaDx Sensor, you can measure the level of pesticides found in the food you give your family. Because pesticides can be linked to birth defects, cancer, neurologic and endocrine system disorders, particularly in children, testing for pesticides is extremely important. Don’t leave your food safety up to chance, pre-order your OrganaDx Sensor today!
