| Organic is Best? |
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| Eco News |
If you're still not convinced that organic foods are the best choice for your family and the environment, consider this...a study released this month in the peer-reviewed journal, Environmental Health...
...Perspectives, concludes that pesticides are present in the urine and saliva of children who eat conventionally grown produce. The good news is that it's easy to go organic and protect your kids from pesticide exposure. And not just any pesticides. The researchers tested for malathion and chlorpyrifos and other chemicals in the organophosphate family. Malathion and chlorpyrifos are banned for use in homes, but they are still widely used on crops. In fact, organophosphate pesticides account for approximately half the insecticides used in the U.S. They work by poisoning the nervous system in pests (hmmm...aren't we always told to keep poisons away from children?) In humans, these pesticides can cause damage to the nervous system, organ damage, behavior disorders, immune system dysfunction, behavioral abnormalities, and hormone disruption. CHILDREN FED NON-ORGANIC FOOD HAVE PESTICIDES IN THE URINE The study has not yet linked the pesticide levels to specific foods, but other studies have shown peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, nectarines, strawberries and cherries are among those that most frequently have detectable levels of pesticides.
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