Buying the Organic Hype

When researching for this post, I came across an email I had written to my husband, John from 2015 when I first learned about the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen. “Looks like we need to make sure we are buying organic apples and greens. I don’t usually buy the hype, but this seems kinda important.” 

Fast forward 7 years later to when I almost exclusively buy organic produce, especially when it comes to items on the EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce.  I am responsible for a small human whose life depends on the decisions and actions we make, including the levels of toxic chemicals he is exposed to now which could have lifelong effects, so you can be sure I am going to scrutinize everything before it goes into or onto his body! You could say I “buy the hype” now because where there is data, there is more than just marketing and hysteria.  

eating without questioning

It’s a little bit ironic, how most of us don’t question what we are putting into our bodies - where it came from, how it was grown, what it was treated with, what it was mixed with to make it shelf stable, or how it was packaged and later shipped to our grocery store. We just eat it.  I say it’s ironic because there is broad research out there about the harmful effects pesticides can have on our bodies including hormone disruption, brain and nervous system toxicity, and cancer.  Yet people continue purchasing and consuming foods grown or sprayed with these pesticides without question, but won’t consider vaccinations against preventable and deadly diseases. Go figure 🤷🏼‍♀️

For context, the EPA recently suspended a common weedkiller, DCPA, which has been identified as a possible carcinogen, banned by the EU back in 2009. Even more recently, the EPA announced a ban on all uses of chlorpyrifos (commonly used on cherries and beets), because of concern that it can cause harm to children’s developing brains (wtf???!!!)  Despite the EPA’s great decision, agribusinesses are trying to reverse the ban claiming there will be crop shortages. It kind of makes you question where their priorities are 💰 vs where they should be 👶🏼 .   

🍓What does all of this have to do with strawberries? 

For the 6th year in a row, strawberries have topped EWG’s list of pesticide-laden-fruit. This list is based off of USDA tests which found that “strawberries were the fresh produce item most likely to be contaminated with pesticide residues, even after they are picked, rinsed in the field and washed before eating.” 90% of the strawberries tested contained at least 1 pesticide, with 30% having 10 or more toxins.  It’s true that some of these pesticides have proven to be fairly benign, but others have been “linked to cancer, reproductive and developmental damage, hormone disruption and neurological problems.”  With a rap sheet like that, I think I’ll stick with organic strawberries, frozen organic strawberries, or no strawberries.  

If I haven’t scared you away from strawberries, I have a great 4-ingredient strawberry jam that was inspired by the one my Grandma used to make. Check it out here.

*I do want to acknowledge my privilege and ability to pay for organic produce.  Fresh fruits and vegetables can be particularly expensive when choosing organic.  I always look for sales and I often use frozen organic produce which seems to go on sale more frequently, and if I can’t find reasonably priced organic items from the Dirty Dozen list, I opt for non-organic items from the Clean Fifteen instead.