Do you like strawberries with your pesticides?

We have before had the discussion as to whether organic food is worth the extra money. Well it depends on why you are buying it.

The food industry put poisons in your food and they stay there until you eat them, and you are told they do no harm.

According to Dr Al Sears MD, from America, during one test, there were 30 different pesticides on strawberries sold for consumption. Another test revealed 10 different pesticides on a single commercial sample of spinach.

Some of these chemicals interfere with the nutrients in your food. Many have unpredictable effects that we know very little about. The ones that are most concerning are the ones that wreak havoc on your hormones.

The pesticide endosulfan is an important example. It turns up in your food more often than any other chemical on the market. Despite evidence that this chemical turns on oestrogen receptors, we are told it is safe. Yet how could anyone know what decades of consuming this and other oestrogen mimics will do?

When these chemicals get into your blood, your body mistakes them for real hormones. For men, this means the development of feminine features and abnormal growth of the prostate. In women, it means a rise in breast and ovarian cancers and a dramatic worsening of symptoms of the menopause.

Contrary to what is claimed, you can avoid most of these chemicals if you buy organic. While it may not be economically practical for you to buy organic produce across the board, it may make sense to buy organic for the 10 worst fruits and vegetables.

These are: strawberries, raspberries, apples, peppers, celery, cherries, grapes, nectarines, peaches and potatoes.

The 10 least contaminated are: asparagus, avocado, broccoli, bananas, cauliflower, kiwi, mangoes, onions, papaya, and pineapple.

Washing your fruit and vegetables does not get rid of the chemicals but if you soak them in an equal solution of vinegar and water for 15 min and then rinse them in cold water, it can help.

You can also peel your fruit and vegetables and remove the outer leaves of cabbage, lettuce, garlic and onions, which also helps.

Avoid commercial products that are bruised as they are more likely to have concentrations of pesticides deep within the fruit.

So yes, organic is best if you want to keep healthy!

Wyndham Health