Sunday October 12th, 2008
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Washing your fruits and veggies may not be enough
Posted by GreenbeanGirl on July 2, 2008 - 5:31pm.
Yesterday, as I was about to bite into a nice juicy Granny Smith apple, my aunt screamed at me to drop the apple. Confused, I asked why. She said there was no way she could let me ingest the apple without peeling it, knowing the large amount of pesticides that were residing on the apples shiny skin.
I just wanted to eat the apple, but I let her go on. Then she showed me this website, http://foodnews.org/, which lists the amount of pesticides on different fruits and vegetables.
After reading those stats I peeled the apple. Be wary of what you are consuming.
The 10 fruits and vegetables with the highest concentration of toxic pesticides:
1. Strawberries
2. Bell Peppers
3. Spinach
4. Cherries
5. Peaches
6. Mexican Cantaloupe
7. Celery
8. Apples
9. Apricots
10. Green Beans
In other words, if you can't find these items in organic form, it's best to skip them.
You can buy sustainable produce. Zeal is a newly released brand of peaches, plums, nectarines, and pluots from the central valley of California that is certified sustainable.
The growers have spent the last four years receiving the Protected Harvest certification that validates and verifies that they are using environmentally-sound growing and farming practices.
Their sustainable practices go beyond a 'do not use' list of chemicals to encompass, water quality, air quality, wildlife preservation, and labor issues. Each standard was written and audited by the prestigious Board of Protected Harvest.
They do all of this without compromising on taste. It is some of the best fruit I have ever eaten and I have lived in the valley all my life.
To learn more, visit www.zealicious.com and start asking the Produce Manager at your local market to carry Zeal stonefruit.
You can have your fresh fruit and know that it is grown with minimal pesticides, hasn't harmed the water or air, and those who work in the orchards and packing houses are well cared for.
It is a win-win situation - great fruit for you to enjoy AND you are doing something good for the Earth.