ADHD Linked to Pesticide Exposure ~ Another Reason To Buy Organic!

Unless you live under a rock I am sure you have heard about the importance of buying Organic Fruits and Vegetables especially for children (and pregnant women). When I grocery shop before I make my fruit and vegetable selections I always consult  "The Dirty Dozen List", (which is a down loadable application for iphones and Android phones) up until recently that list has always been good enough for me, however the list keeps growing and is now a Top 20 List.

Last Spring a study was done to determine the effects of pesticide exposure in population at large.  The study found that; Exposure to the pesticides organophosphates, has been linked to behavioral and cognitive problems in children in the past, but previous studies have focused on communities of farm workers and other high-risk populations. This study is the first to examine the effects of exposure in the population at large*.  
  
One of the most shocking things I have learned is that the Environmental Protection Agency has eliminated most residential uses for pesticides in the home such as lawn care, insecticides etc. but the EPA and the  FDA does not limit their use on our food supply. The largest exposure to children is occurring in their food supply, especially commercially grown fruits and vegetables. 

You may want to take into consideration this Top 20 List when shopping for fruits and vegetables. These are ordered in worst to least harmful and take into account normal washing and peeling habits of people. That means that even though most people wash their apples before eating them, even after doing so, apples are still number 2 on the list.

Top 20 List


1. Peaches**
2. Apples
3. Sweet Bell Peppers
4. Celery
5. Nectarines
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Pears
9. Grapes (imported)
10. Spinach
11. Lettuce
12. Potatoes
13. Carrots
14. Green Beans
15. Hot Peppers
16. Cucumbers
17. Raspberries
18. Plums
19. Grapes (domestic)
20. Oranges

** “Peaches are one of the fruits most likely to contain multiple pesticide residues after harvest. If you like canned or jarred peaches, you can buy them non-organic.

 According to a 2008 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture cited in the study. In a representative sample of produce tested by the agency, 28 percent of frozen blueberries, 20 percent of celery, and 25 percent of strawberries contained traces of one type of organophosphate. Other types of organophosphates were found in 27 percent of green beans, 17 percent of peaches, and 8 percent of broccoli.  As you can see the USDA only felt the need to mention fruits and vegetables with a rating of 28% or less. Please note the list below has a range of 60% to 97.3%


Here are the top 20 fruits and vegetables where pesticides are detected:

1. Nectarines: 97.3%
2. Peaches: 96.6%
3. Celery: 94.1%
4. Cherries: 91.4%
5. apples: 92.1%
5. Strawberries: 92.1%
7. Pears: 87.2%
8. Grapes (imported): 85.3%
9. Oranges: 83.3%
10. Carrots: 81.7%
11. Sweet Bell Peppers: 81.5%
12. Potatoes: 81.0%
13. Cucumbers: 72.5%
14. Cauliflower: 72.4%
15. Spinach: 70.0%
16. Tangerines: 66.7%
17. Green Beans: 65.4%
18. Grapefruit: 62.3%
19. Grapes (domestic): 61.4%
20. Mushrooms: 60.2%

*Everything in italics is quoted from the article below by CNN. To read the full article please visit CNN.com:
Study: ADHD Linked to Pesticide Exposure