26 Aug Why Buy Organic?
Why should you buy organic foods?
According to scientists, pesticides regularly detected on Australian food have been linked to possible problems with hormone function, learning and behavioural problems, lower IQ, and possible increases in lymphoblastic Leukaemia in children.
Long term exposure to pesticides have also been linked with development of Parkinson’s Disease and type II diabetes. Of particular concern is the possible impact of pesticides on the development of the human foetus, cancer, hypothyroidism, and autism. Of the 125 types of pesticides detected on Australian fruit and vegetables surveyed, 45% are suspected hormone disruptors, with 62% of all detections related to suspected hormone disrupting pesticides.
It’s the children that suffer most…
More than one quarter of food eaten by young children in the United States contains pesticides, meaning that non-organic food is the main source of chemical exposure for these children. Children up to the age of 7 may not be able to produce a detoxifying enzyme – Paraoxnase 1 – making them more susceptible to the risks of pesticide exposure, particularly from organophosphates. Exposure to organochlorine pesticides may be linked to autism. 5.8% of all pesticide detections on Australian produce were organochlorines. Up to 200 chlorinated pesticides used in Australia may contain traces of dioxins, created as a by-product of the manufacturing process. Dioxins are some of the most toxic substances known and are currently not adequately tested for by Australian regulators. Exposure to organophosphate pesticides by young children may reduce a child’s IQ by 7 percentage points and lead to behavioural and learning problems including most significantly ADHD.
Even pesticides publicly regarded as being less dangerous, such as Roundup/Glyphosate, are increasingly being found to have serious environmental and health risks.
The worst 20 foods for pesticide residues in Australia.
The following list should be used as a guide for buying organic food where possible. In this way, you can avoid the worst offenders and maximise your investment when purchasing organic produce.
Top 20 Australian Foods With Most Pesticide Detections 2000 – 2011
Apples 15.2%
Wheat 13.2%
Strawberries 10%
Pears 9.5%
Grapes 6.4%
Lettuce 4.1%
Nectarines 3.7%
Peaches 2.3%
Bread 2.1%
Bran 1.8%
Biscuits 1.6%
Tea (Imported) 1.6%
Barley 1.4%
Tomatoes 1.3%
Apricots 1.2%
Canola 1.1%
Flour 1.1%
Carrots 0.8%
Plums 0.8%
Green beans 0.8%
More details and facts can be found here.
