M8.3 Blog Pesticides

What did you find out about the pesticide residues that may be in or on your food? What do you think about this? What should we be doing about this in terms of public health, not just in terms of our personal choices?

Meal analyzed: Rice, black beans with avocado, white breast chicken with hot sauce 

RICE

15 Pesticide Residues Found by the USDA Pesticide Data Program^1,2,3

Human Health Effects:

4	—	Known or Probable Carcinogens4
10	—	Suspected Hormone Disruptors
2	—	Neurotoxins
3	—	Developmental or Reproductive Toxins

Environmental Effects:

6

—

Honeybee Toxins5

As an Asian American ... I was not aware that rice held so many human health effects, especially the suspected hormone disruptors. The known carcigens I could understand because rice does form from a rice patty leaf, and it stems from the ground. I usually always wash my rice at least 3 times before steaming it.

AVOCADO

1 Pesticide Residues Found by the USDA Pesticide Data Program^1,2,3

Human Health Effects:

0	—	Known or Probable Carcinogens4
0	—	Suspected Hormone Disruptors
0	—	Neurotoxins
0	—	Developmental or Reproductive Toxins

Environmental Effects:

0

—

Honeybee Toxins5

I am not surprised avocados have little to no pesticides because of their large rough outer skin / shell and growing from the trees. I have wondered about what the difference was organic avocados vs. non-organic, and whether it tasted different. I did notice that buying organic avocados, my avocados rot faster than the non-organic. 

BLACK BEANS, CANNED

1 Pesticide Residues Found by the USDA Pesticide Data Program^1,2,3

Human Health Effects:

0	—	Known or Probable Carcinogens4
0	—	Suspected Hormone Disruptors
0	—	Neurotoxins
0	—	Developmental or Reproductive Toxins

Environmental Effects:

0

—

Honeybee Toxins5

I was not surprised since beans are regularly very healthy and protective against their shell.

What I believe we should do, which I have learned from the Harvest for Hope book by Dr.Jane Goodall, is learn to advocate to get the food industry to label their foods and make us aware of some of the "Frankenfruits" we are making. A lot of chemicals and resources go towards farming and cultivating certain fruits and vegetables, why would we want to waste all our resources just to harm our bodies? 

I did make a personal choice to eat more organic on certain vegetables that are more exposed to pesticides such as apples, oranges , grapes etc. I am trying to make the conscious effort! Especially organic lettuce since a lot of times I find bugs on the lettuce, biting holes through the vegetables.