The effects of ingesting pesticides in the very small amounts
present in vegetation are unknown. Bruce Ames, Ph.D., director of the National
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Center at the University of
California at Berkeley, who has devoted his career to examining this question,
believes these minute amounts pose no risk at all.
He and other scientists support this view because humans and
other animals are exposed to, small amounts of naturally occurring toxins with every
mouthful of organically grown, natural food. The body normally breaks down
self-produced metabolic wastes and naturally occurring carcinogens in foods, as
well as pesticides, and excretes these harmful substances every minute. Since 99.99
percent of the potential carcinogenic chemicals consumed are naturally present
in all food, reducing our exposure to the 0.01 percent that are synthetic will
not reduce cancer rates.
These scientists argue that humans ingest thousands of
natural chemicals that typically have a greater toxicity and are present at
higher doses than the very minute amount of pesticide-residues that remain on
food. Furthermore, animal studies on the carcinogenic potential of synthetic chemicals
are done at doses a thousand fold higher than what is ingested in food. Ames argues
that a high percentage of all chemicals, natural or not, are potentially toxic
in high doses - "the dose makes the poison” - and that there is no
evidence of possible cancer hazards from the tiny chemical residue remaining on
produce.
Others believe a slight risk may be present, though that risk may be difficult to prove. There certainly is a justifiable concern that some chemicals have increased toxicity and are potentially harmful at lower doses than are used in rodent experiments. No scientist believes that this means we should reduce our consumption of vegetation, but many (including me) believe it prudent to reduce our exposure to the multiple toxic residues present in our food supply. I certainly advocate avoiding the skins of foods that are reported to have the most pesticide residues. And, of course, all fruits and vegetables should be washed before eating.
If you are concerned about pesticides and chemicals, keep in
mind that animal products, such as dairy and beef, contain the most toxic
pesticide residues. Because cows and steers eat large amounts of tainted feed,
certain pesticides and dangerous chemicals are found in higher concentrations
in animal foods. For example, dioxin, which is predominantly found in fatty
meats and dairy products, is one of the most potent toxins linked to several
cancers in humans, including lymphomas. By basing your diet on unrefined plant
foods, you automatically reduce your exposure to the most dangerous chemicals.
According to the Environmental Working Group," these
are the "Dirty Dozen" consistently most contaminated fruits and
vegetables, ranked from highest to lowest:
1. celery
2. peaches
3. strawberries
4. apples
5. blueberries
6. nectarines
7. bell peppers
8. spinach
9. cherries
10. kale
11. potatoes
12. imported grapes
It would make sense to purchase organically grown versions
of these foods.
Onions, sweet corn, asparagus, sweet peas, cabbage, eggplant,
broccoli, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes are the vegetables least likely to have
pesticides on them.
Avocados, pineapples, mangoes, kiwifruit, papayas, watermelon, and grapefruit
are the fruits least likely to have pesticide residues on them.
It makes good sense to peel fruits if possible, and not to eat
potato skins unless you are able to purchase pesticide-free potatoes. Remove
and discard the outermost leaves of lettuce and cabbage if not organically grown;
other surfaces that cannot be peeled can be washed with soap and water or a commercial
vegetable wash. Washing with plain water removes 25 to 50 percent of the
pesticide residue.
Every study done to date on the consumption of food and its relation
to cancer has shown that the more fruits and vegetables people eat, the less
cancer and heart disease they have. All these studies were done on people
eating conventionally grown, not organic, produce. Clearly, the benefit of
conventional produce outweighs any hypothetical risk.
(Dr. Joel Fuhrman, M.D., ‘Eat
to Live)
