Shopper's Guide to Pesticides Updated

According to the recent report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute, exposure to pesticides approved by the Environmental Protection Agency "has been linked to brain/central nervous system, breast, colon, lung, ovarian, pancreatic, kidney, testicular, and stomach cancers, as well as Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and soft tissue sarcoma."

Still-developing babies and children are most susceptible to the adverse effects of toxic pesticides and cancer isn't the only concern. A study published in the current issue of Pediatrics measured levels of pesticides in more than 1100 children between the ages of 8 and 15. Researchers found pesticides in 94 percent of children and those with above average amounts had twice the risk of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Avoiding pesticides is best, but it's not always possible. When organic foods are unavailable or unaffordable, take some help from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and make informed choices about what to eat and what to avoid.

EWG analyzed data from nearly 96,000 laboratory tests from the US Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration and ranked fruits and vegetables based on pesticide contamination. They found that people who eat five fruits and vegetables a day from the Dirty Dozen list consume an average of 10 pesticides daily, while those who eat from the 15 least contaminated conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables ingest fewer than 2 pesticides each day.

EWG just updated their lists to reflect the most recent results. New to the Dirty Dozen are blueberries, spinach and potatoes. New to the Clean Fifteen are cantaloupe, grapefruit and honeydew melon.

Here are the latest lists:

THE DIRTY DOZEN

Celery

Peaches

Strawberries

Apples

Blueberries

Nectarines

Bell Peppers

Spinach

Kale

Cherries

Potatoes

Imported Grapes

Avoid these foods if they are not organic.

THE CLEAN FIFTEEN

Onions

Avocado

Sweet Corn

Pineapple

Mangos

Sweet Peas

Asparagus

Kiwi

Cabbage

Eggplant

Cantaloupe

Watermelon

Grapefruit

Sweet Potato

Honeydew Melon

You can download a PDF version of this list or an iPhone app from EWG's website. If you make a donation of $10 or more, they will send you a Shopper's Guide to Pesticides bag tag so you will have these lists at hand every time you shop. Support EWG and help them continue the good work that they do.

References:

Leffall LD, Kripke ML et al. Reducing environmental cancer risk: what we can do now. 2008–2009 Annual Report, President’s Cancer Panel. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute. April 2010, p. 45.

Bouchard MF et al. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Urinary Metabolites of Organophosphate Pesticides. Pediatrics, 2010 May 17.