What is in your produce?

June: National Fruit and Vegetable Month

After reading the book “Living Downstream” by Sandra Steingraber, it has provided an ever changing effect on the knowledge regarding carcinogens that surround us. As a brief overview, Steingraber has a Ph.D in biology and after being diagnosed with bladder cancer, she went on a personal investigation of cancer and the environment. She reviewed the many different carcinogens in our environment and the effects on the environment and human health. One of the series of carcinogens is pesticides used on produce.

Did you know?

Pesticides can cause changes in both hormone and nervous system functioning? Especially in children?

The EPA’s mandate to study and moderate pesticide dangers and usage, protecting the public against such hazards, is very minimal.

On average, 91 toxic chemicals can be found in an “average” person.

Infants 6-12 months old, commercial baby food is the main source of unsafe levels of pesticides in food. This includes apple juice, apple sauce, pears, and peaches. 

istock photo

How to limit / avoid this?

The Dirty Dozen - The 12 foods that have the most risk and amount of pesticides:

1. Celery                    7. Bell Peppers
2. Peaches                  8. Spinach
3. Strawberries           9. Cherries
4. Apples                   10. Kale / Collard Greens
5. Blueberries            11. Potatoes
6. Nectarines             12. Grapes (Imported)

The Clean 15 - The 15 foods that are lowest in pesticides:

1. Onions               9. Cabbage
2. Avocado            10. Eggplant
3. Sweet Corn       11. Cantaloupe
4. Pineapple          12. Watermelon
5. Mango               13. Grapefruit
6. Sweet Peas        14. Sweet Potato
7. Asparagus         15. Honeydew Melon
8. Kiwi

Pesticides can never be fully removed from produce, but washing will always decrease the amount of exposure, as well as remove any dirt and wash off (along with those grimy hands that touched it in the produce counter before you) .
How to wash your produce: Add a few tablespoons of baking soda to a sink of warm water.
Rinse with clean water and pat dry.


As for commercial baby food, there are different options available such as using the dirty dozen as your guide of buying regular versus organic commercial baby food, buying only organic, OR the most economical, making your own baby food.