This post is about raising awareness of food production and how the trend for all year-round availability of all fruits and all vegetables has given rise to concerns which we should bear in mind in our day-to-day choices. We should also consider making some impactful changes. Food, oxygen and water are the three essentials for life and so food choices should be a prominent part of our lives.
What are the worries?
“Pesticides are poisonous and, unfortunately, they can harm more than just the “pests” at which they are targeted. They are toxic, and exposure to pesticides can cause a number of health effects. They are linked to a range of serious illnesses and diseases from respiratory problems to cancer.” Pesticide Action Network Uk
A common route of exposure to pesticides is through the foods that we eat unless they are organic foods where exposure is considerably reduced. Pesticides used in agriculture often leave detectable traces of chemicals (known as residues) in, or on, our food and sometimes a cocktail of pesticides is used. This is exacerbated by the trend for all-year availability of fruits and vegetables and the need for these foods to survive a long journey to the supermarket and to look good on the shelves. This process calls for more chemicals and so increases the possibility of residues. The number and types of pesticides used and residues remaining on foods will vary given a number of factors including the weather conditions for growing as well as using them to achieve perfect appearance. There are calls for transparency on labelling but, given the variations mentioned above, it is not easy to do. Neither is it as easy as saying for example that this food is ok and that is not ok. At least a health warning on relevant foods might be a viable way forward.
We have strict rules in the UK regarding these chemical residues but the only way to see clearly how much foods are affected by them is to test each individual food. This, at least for now, seems an impossible task and in any case is extreme. Pesticide Action UK produces a list of the non-organic “Dirty Dozen” worst fruits and vegetables for levels of residues (see below) but the list, by necessity, is always published about 12 months after the tests are done. It does, however, at least give an idea of the consistent worst offenders.
The Dirty Dozen – These non-organic foods are the ones to avoid or at least limit.
Grapefruit – Soft Citrus (mandarins, clementines etc.) – Oranges – Strawberries – Grapes – Dried Fruit (grapes/sultanas) – Lemons – Herbs – Cherries – Pre-packed salad – Peaches and Nectarines – Pears
The worries are not limited to fruits and vegetables. Non-organic grains including most flours and many breads can be affected by these residues too and oats are possibly one of the worst offenders. Even wine is affected! So, choose organic if you have these things regularly.
What to do?
It can be challenging to change the way you shop and cook and eat, especially in the first few weeks, but if you are game to take on that challenge it can bring so many rewards both financially and for well-being. And there are lots of recipes in these pages to help you.
It is sometimes suggested that good quality food is not affordable. But we must remember that how we spend our money is a matter of priorities and that is our choice.
Make good food a central part of your life. Eat organic, locally and seasonally as far as possible. Foods labelled organic must conform to strict rules regarding pesticides and can only be treated with those derived from natural sources and so risk of exposure to harmful residues is considerably reduced.
Buy less food, buy better, value it and don’t waste a scrap.
Find your trusted sources for buying food. – This is not as difficult to do as it might sound, especially in the UK. Whilst some supermarkets stock organic foods, they tend to be expensive with lots of packaging. Organic farm shop boxes and farmers markets are a good way to buy excellent quality foods at reasonable prices with less packaging than the supermarkets and are often much cheaper too. These foods are precious, keep well and taste good so don’t waste them. And eating local seasonal food will give you a naturally varied diet throughout the year.
Often small local growers which can be found at farmers markets, while not certified organic, will be using fewer pesticides than large scale industrial growers so it is thought that these are a better option than non-organic imports.
At the very least, if you eat something every day, say strawberries or grapes, switch to organic instead or try an alternative organic local and seasonal variety.
Washing or peeling fruits (especially citrus fruits) and vegetables can help but apparently this cannot remove all traces of harmful residues especially when residues have been absorbed into the flesh.
If you relish a challenge, grow your own if you can or at least grow herbs. Most councils advertise various helpful schemes to help you grow your own.
And don’t forget frozen and canned organic foods, especially fruit and vegetables as they are great alternatives to fresh. Peas, beans, spinach, carrots, berries, tomatoes for example.
Good quality food has so many benefits that affect our quality of life and so I hope you will take up the challenge, embrace the changes, reap the rewards and most of all, enjoy it.
The Pesticide Action UK website is helpful on this subject. www.pan-uk.org
If you want a healthier and more environmentally friendly diet, a good start would be to cook from scratch, avoid buying ready-processed meals, and so avoid foods with a high sugar and salt content. Have a look at food labels, you will likely be amazed by how much salt and sugar is included and, worse, how many of the ingredients are not recognisable as food.
Sherbhert champions delicious, healthy and sustainable food where its production minimises environmental damage, exploitation, animal suffering and subsequent processing. Sherbhert’s recipes are simple and use mainly UK organic seasonal produce sourced as locally as possible.
Sherbhert occasionally recommends suppliers entirely because of their good produce and ethos.
