The picture I found is actually a funny way to look at a dangerous health risk with produce. Although people don't usually think about it, the vegetables they eat may be covered in a film of a deadly chemical called pesticide that kills bugs.
Summary:
So you think that its perfectly safe to eat a raw veggie? Well think again. Most foods that are grown are now covered in pesticides. Foods like apples, celery and strawberries are not only the most eaten healthy treat young children munch on, but they are also the most deadly. 98% of apples that were thoroughly cleaned and tested still had residue from the pesticide. This isn't just a bug killer, but it is poisonous to humans as well poising a major health risk. The Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce for 2011 has just been released to show "The Dirty Dozen" and the "Clean 15" which tell you exactly which produce has the most and the least pesticide residue covering it. Take this small paragraph for example:
"Every sample of imported nectarines tested positive for pesticides, while imported grapes had 14 pesticides detected on a single sample. Strawberries and domestic grapes both had 13 different pesticides detected on a single sample. Peaches were found to have been treated with more pesticides than any other produce, registering combinations of up to 57 different chemicals. And some 96% of all celery samples tested positive for pesticides.
The chemicals used are all poison to us and bugs, but some of the pesticides are not actually approved to be used on the fresh produce.
Opinion/Reflection:
I'm really baffled that this much poison is left on the produce that ends up in schools and in homes. Not only is it irresponsible, but it is also a health risk for everyone eating it. The interesting thing is, it is never really the topic of choice to discuss nor is it something usually thought about by the average citizen. What if a loved one was seriously injured or died due to the amount of unapproved pesticides used? Is that what its going to take to see that national and global growers need to follow stricter regulations on how much of one pesticide and how many (if at all) pesticides should be used? Hopefully, someone else knows this is wrong and I am not just rambling on about the danger.
Questions:
- Why do the growers believe it is okay to mix pesticides?
- Why doesn't the government step up and control the amount of pesticides used?
- What can the pesticides do to a person if a large amount is present?
- What is a list of pesticides that are used?
- Are the people going to see how much of a risk using pesticides bring to the table before it is too late?
3. there have been studies that link pesticide exposure to cancer, along with birth defects, stillbirth, infertility, and damage to the brain and the nervous system
ReplyDeleteI actually don't eat enough fruits or vegetables, and now that I have read this about how it might be very unhealthy to eat contaminated fruits and veggies, really makes me feel concerned. But until growers start to stop using pesticides I guess I will have to just eat the contaminated food for now.
ReplyDelete4. Organophosphate Pesticides
Carbamate Pesticides
Organochlorine Insecticides
Pyrethroid Pesticides
Microbial pesticides
This is concerning, but the important thing to remember is, a vegetable covered in pesticides is better than an unhealthy meal.
ReplyDeleteextention i think is scary but not shocking when there is so much being done to crops these days there are bound top be ill effects, and when it seems everything is bad for you what should you take seireously
ReplyDeleteTrue it is better than beig unhealthy but still... Pesticides on veggies and fruits? That worries me for health risks.
ReplyDeleteI usually dont eat many vegetables but i will eat boatloads of fruit, I'm not sure if thats as healthy as i thought it was with all the pesticides being sprayed. Although i think that fruit might be less affected by pesticides than vegetables are, most have skin people peel off before eating, that might lessen the amount of pesticides being ingested.
ReplyDelete