In looking up my meal last night on the
What's on my Food website, I was startled to see how many pesticides I consumed. First, I could not find my pumpkin ravioli and cruciferous blend salad. So, instead I looked up my breakfast: my go to morning smoothie.
Ingredients and corresponding pesticides:
Almond milk (almonds) -
9 pesticide residues
- 1 Known or Probable Carcinogens
- 4 Suspected Hormone Disruptors
- 3 Neurotoxins
- 0 Developmental or Reproductive Toxins
Spinach or kale (spinach): -
54 pesticide residues
- 7 Known or Probable Carcinogens
- 21 Suspected Hormone Disruptors
- 11 Neurotoxins
- 7 Developmental or Reproductive Toxins
Blueberries (frozen):
21 pesticide residues
- 4 Known or Probable Carcinogens
- 8 Suspected Hormone Disruptors
- 6 Neurotoxins
- 2 Developmental or Reproductive Toxins
Lemon (optional - couldn't find so used oranges): 12 pesticide residues
- 3 Known or Probable Carcinogens
- 4 Suspected Hormone Disruptors
- 5 Neurotoxins
- 3 Developmental or Reproductive Toxins
I thought I was eating healthy? I've recently switched to purchasing more organic foods, but have still caved for conventional for the Costco 3-pack of almond milk and $4 massive bag of spinach. These pesticide contaminations are simply unfair to the public. Why should we have to do all this homework to learn we are poisoning ourselves while trying to make healthy choices? How has the US not adopted the same policies around pesticides as the EU?! We need better laws here.
This assignment really opened my eyes. It makes you really start to question the types of products we not only buy but consume. We do need better laws and definitely more information to the public promoting this kind of information.
ReplyDeleteI was exactly in the same boat as you when I did this assignment; I thought I was eating healthy but this website says otherwise! More people need to be educated around this; I especially worry for my parents because they do not buy into the "organic" bit.
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