From the article originally posted at The Natural Food List by Ashley McLaughlin. Please see original for sources and appropriate links that are not available in this version of the article.
If you are not aware, the "Clean 15″ is a list comprised of 15 produce items that are typically deemed acceptable to purchase non-organically. The list (and variations of it) have been circulating online recently on blogs, news sources and Twitter. Some of the items on the list include: asparagus, avocados, broccoli, cabbage, kiwi, sweet potatoes, watermelon, onions, among others.
Do you trust buying non-organic produce? Are you not convinced that buying organic produce is worth the extra money? The following is a list of facts and explanations, to help persuade us all that going "all organic" is the healthiest and most environmental choice.
1
According to Organic.org the USDA reports .5% of crops and pasture lands are organic. This leaves the other 99.5% to be non-organic and containing pesticides and herbicides, which have been proven to be toxic to humans. The list you see called, "the clean 15," names food items thought to be "safe" to buy non-organic. However, this list is only representative of foods that show fewer amounts of pesticides when tested. The pesticides are however, still present.
2
As explained by holisticmed.com, though the US has banned certain pesticides from being used in farming practices, pesticide manufacturing companies are often selling their products abroad. These products are used on crops and then shipped to the US for sale and consumption. An article in the L.A. Times, discusses a chemical manufacturing company, Amvac Chemical Corp. Their products are being sold around the world even though they have already proved hazardous to human health and the environment. Some of the chemicals they produce, like organophosphates, have been under investigation since the 1980's.
3
Stated by the National Organic Standards Board, GMOs are "made with techniques that alter the molecular or cell biology of an organism by means that are not possible under natural conditions or processes." According to the Organic Trade Association, GMOs are banned in the production and processing of organic foods. Non-organic foods do not have to be labeled GMO, nor is the practice of using GMO regulated.
4
Holisticmed.com discusses that, due to the influence of large chemical companies, the government has raised the limitations set on how much pesticide residue is allowed to be present in your non-organic food. The Pesticide Action Network gave a recent update on one of the most common herbicides used today, atrazine. It has been linked to causing a sex-reversal in frogs and acts as an "endocrine disruptor" in humans. The EPA is currently reviewing the health risks of this chemical. The main point is that acceptable levels of this chemical, are unknown at this point, and still showing up in our food.
5
The use of pesticides and herbicides are detrimental to the environment. The USGS explains, that when pesticides and herbicides are applied, they do not stay in one place. The toxins are moved around by means of wind, rain, and absorption into the soil. The effects seem invisible to the eye, but show up in environmental testing of our soil and water resources.
The chemicals that are in use today have not been around long enough to know their lasting effects on human health and the environment. New discoveries are being made daily regarding this matter. One way you can have less question is by supporting organic foods and farming practices. Your body and the environment will thank you.
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