"Conventional" Celery - Low Calories but high pesticide residue

Celery is well-liked by the health-conscious because it’s low in calories — but the stalky veggie is not low in another health concern: pesticides. Eat conventionally farmed celery, and you’re eating the veggie found to have the most pesticide residue, according to green nonprofit Environmental Working Group’s latest Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides.

In a new version of the Guide, celery displaces the peach as the dirtiest piece of produce — though both were already on the “Dirty Dozen” list of most tainted produce last time around too. New inductees into the list are blueberries, spinach and potatoes — which replaced lettuce, carrots and pears.

Chemical Control of Leafminer in Celery:
Current control practices require numerous applications and rotations of insecticides. Control costs are high and only a small number of insecticides are effective. Leafminer exhibits high fecundity and pesticide-tolerance, factors that limit the lifespan of any given insecticide directed at it. In California, the carbamate compound oxamyl (Vydate) has served as a mainstay control agent since its registration in the late 1970’s. Abamectin (Agri-mek) entered the rotation in the mid-1980s, and in 1998, cyromazine became the newest chemical tool for leafminer control.


Organic Lentils

The humble lentil has long had a reputation as a healthy food. It contains 26% protein (higher than any other vegetable except for soybeans), and, when combined with rice, forms a complete protein, or one containing all essential amino acids. Lentils are also high in vitamin B1 (thiamine) and iron, which is particularly important for pregnant or menstruating woman and adolescents. 

Lentils are available in cans, and - while not nutritionally deficient - err on the side of caution when it comes to ALL canned goods, owing to the controversial chemical BPA (Bisphenol A) used in the canning process. So, stick with the bulk bins at your local organic food store for all varieties of lentils.


Organic Milk

Organic MILK has risen in popularity in large part because of concerns over bovine growth hormone, used to stimulate milk production on conventional dairy farms. The hormone occurs naturally in cows, so the US Food and Drug Administration has argued that use of the hormone "does not change the milk". Few would agree with the idea that's ok to add growth hormones to your cereal in the morning however.


Knowledge is Power

Consider these organic facts next time you get the munchies:

1. Certified Organic farming bans the use of toxic pesticides used in producing conventionally farmed foods, which scientific studies have linked to certain cancers, ADHD, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, obesity, autism, infertility, miscarriage, and other serious health problems. Yummy!
2. Organic farming bans the use of genetically engineered organisms (GMOs). This technology has never been tested for long-term effects on human health. Worth the risk?
3. Many conventional nonorganic products contain high-fructose corn syrup, a highly processed ingredient that commonly contains mercury. This man-made sweetener has been linked to obesity and diabetes. 
4. Organic bans the use of toxic artificial food dyes. 
5. It is illegal for certified organic farmers to use human sewage sludge as a fertilizer for crops, something conventional farmers may do. This sludge is often laced with shampoo chemicals and heavy metals, and sometimes, even waste from funeral homes. Delicious!
6. Certified Organic chicken production bans the use of arsenic in chicken feed, something that is perfectly legal in conventional systems (arsenic is used because it makes chickens grow faster). This practice can lead to arsenic-laced chicken waste, which is then frequently used to fertilize conventional food crop fields. Anyone for seconds?


Organic Foods and the Hard Evidence for their Superiority

When the prestigious Australian Government Analytical Laboratory finds vastly higher level of minerals in vegetables grown organically compared to those grown chemically, then that is hard evidence that organically-grown foods are nutritionally superior.

The Organic Retailers and Growers Association of Australia (ORGAA) conducted a study that compares six mineral levels of four vegetables. Samples of beans, tomatoes, capsicum and silverbeet (‘Spinach) were taken from both certified organic farm and supermarket chain and were sent to the government laboratories for analysis of calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, iron and zinc levels. See these results tabulated below.



The major difference between organic bananas and conventionally grown are that conventional bananas are grown with synthetic fertilizers, insecticides, and herbicides to protect the crops from mold, bugs, and disease. On theother side, organic farmers use natural fertilizers such as manure and seaweed, insect predators and barriers to prevent pests, and they weed by hand or mulch in order to prevent weeds.

You may be thinking that all those chemicals used to grow conventional bananas are no big deal because you peel the fruit. But the chemicals are not just on the outside of the banana — they leach into the soil that is used to grow the produce. So even if you peel your banana, it doesn't prevent you from ingesting small amounts of those chemicals. Although you may feel better knowing most experts agree that these small amounts you ingest pose little threat to your health, but then again you have to wonder if all these small amounts of toxins don't add up over time. If you're concerned about the nutritional value of your food, there are ongoing studies exploring the connection between pesticides and nutrients in foods; so far, as you will see from the articles we have posted, it looks like in every case there is evidence that organic is healthier and more nutritious especially when it comes to anti-oxidants. Organic produce is also better for the planet since chemical pesticides make their way into the soil and run off into water sources.






Roundup Herbicide & “Roundup Ready” GMOs




Affects of GMO to human health and the environment

The GMO foods currently on the market have not undergone adequate testing to ensure their safety for human consumption and also to quantify what impact they have on the environment. Genetically engineered food can have a serious effect on human health, on wildlife and the environment.


Organic Lettuce

Lettuce is one of the usual veggies served in your salad. It is rich in vitamin A, K and C, folate, manganese and chromium. The darker leaf type, romaine lettuce, is known to be more nutritious than any other lettuces. It helps in proper digestion, promotes healthy liver, and decreases the threat of heart diseases and stroke.

According to studies made between organic and non-organic lettuces, there is a prominent difference in the amount of chlorophyll present in organic lettuce. Many people had a basic understanding that pesticides, fertilizers and other chemicals used to plants or vegetables can destroy the nutrients and natural enzymes present in these plants. In this study, carbohydrates, sugars, enzymes, pigments and photosynthesis were tested.